Calcutta High Court Directs CBI To Probe 'Money Trail' Behind 42 Allegedly Unauthorised Buildings, Seeks KMC's Demolition Plan
The Calcutta High Court has directed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to conduct a preliminary enquiry into allegations concerning a large number of completely unauthorised multi-storeyed buildings in Kolkata, including the alleged flow of multiple crores of rupees into their construction and sale.A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Ravindra Vithalrao Ghuge and Justice...
The Calcutta High Court has directed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to conduct a preliminary enquiry into allegations concerning a large number of completely unauthorised multi-storeyed buildings in Kolkata, including the alleged flow of multiple crores of rupees into their construction and sale.
A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Ravindra Vithalrao Ghuge and Justice Tapabrata Chakraborty also directed the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) Commissioner to prepare a clear roadmap identifying the unauthorised buildings to be demolished, along with specific dates for commencement and completion of demolition.
The directions were passed in a public interest petition filed by Sukhendu Banerjee concerning unauthorised constructions.
The Court took note of the petitioner's contention that several multi-storeyed unauthorised buildings had no identifiable owners and that there was no available information regarding the money trail behind their construction, including investments made, payments to developers, contractors and promoters, and amounts paid by purchasers for individual tenements.
The petitioner had raised concerns that the alleged transactions, involving thousands of crores of rupees, could have implications for national security, particularly where the identities of sellers and purchasers had allegedly not been properly verified.
The Bench noted that KMC had identified 42 buildings referred to by the petitioner as completely unauthorised. KMC's counsel submitted that several of the offending structures overlapped with structures involved in another pending proceeding and that steps would be initiated for their demolition. Police assistance would also be sought to prevent any law-and-order situation during the demolition process.
Against this backdrop, the Court directed the KMC Commissioner to submit a "crystal clear" roadmap identifying the buildings which were completely unauthorised and specifying the dates and timelines for demolition.
"The roadmap should be crystal clear as regards the steps to be initiated against the particular properties by commencing the demolition activity on particular dates and completion of the demolition within the particular timelines," the Bench directed.
The roadmap is to be filed before the Court on October 14, 2026, with copies to be shared with the counsel appearing for the parties.
CBI Preliminary Enquiry
The Court also considered the petitioner's request for a CBI investigation into the alleged financial transactions surrounding the unauthorised constructions and the role of civic authorities, autonomous bodies and persons allegedly responsible for erecting the structures.
The CBI submitted that it would abide by any direction of the Court regarding an investigation into the allegations.
The Bench accordingly directed the CBI to conduct a preliminary enquiry into the issues raised.
The enquiry would be based on available records and would include examination of records maintained by civic authorities, autonomous bodies, the State Government and police authorities, including whether any complaints or FIRs had been lodged or registered in relation to the alleged unauthorised constructions.
The Court clarified that the CBI would be at liberty to conduct the enquiry in the manner permissible for a specialised investigation agency. It also directed the agency to consider a detailed complaint submitted by the petitioner on November 21, 2024.
The Bench asked the CBI to submit a preliminary report in a sealed cover on the next date, October 14, 2026, only to apprise the Court of the progress made in the enquiry.
Applications filed by certain private respondents seeking deletion of their names from the proceedings were kept pending until the CBI report and KMC's demolition roadmap are placed before the Court.
The matter has been posted for further hearing on October 14, 2026.
Case Title: Sukhendu Banerjee v. State of West Bengal & Ors.
Case No.: WPO(P)/8/2025