Abhishek Banerjee's Kolkata Property Row: BJP Alleges, TMC Denies

A fresh political controversy has engulfed West Bengal with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) alleging that Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP and national general secretary, Abhishek Banerjee, is linked to 43 properties in Kolkata. This accusation has intensified the political rivalry in the state, prompting a strong denial from the TMC. According to the India Today article, the Bengal BJP circulated a list of these properties, drawing particular scrutiny to a jointly owned property allegedly linked to Sayani Ghosh, a claim which TMC MP Saayoni Ghosh has denied. Other reports indicate that the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) has initiated a probe into properties linked to Abhishek Banerjee and his associates. Sources within the KMC reportedly identified more than 40 properties, including flats and independent houses, allegedly connected to Banerjee. Significantly, the KMC has issued notices to between 17 and 21 properties associated with Abhishek Banerjee, his family members, and entities like 'Leaps and Bounds Pvt Ltd'. These notices, issued under Section 400(1) or 401 of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation Act, 1980, seek approved building plans and related documents for scrutiny, as well as clarification on whether permission was taken for any additional construction. KMC officials reportedly went to several of Banerjee's properties, including 'Shantiniketan' on Harish Mukherjee Road, to paste these notices. The move by the KMC, which is governed by the TMC, has reportedly upset the Banerjee family, leading them to consider legal action. In response to these allegations, the All India Trinamool Congress has vehemently dismissed the claims as "false, fabricated and devoid of credibility". The party issued an official statement accusing the BJP of "unofficially leaking" the purported KMC notice to local media and social media platforms to orchestrate a smear campaign against Banerjee and other senior leaders. The TMC asserted that the allegations were entirely baseless and lacked authenticity, urging journalists to independently verify the facts by visiting the mentioned addresses or contacting the phone numbers cited in the purported notice, rather than propagating narratives fed by the BJP. TMC leader Sushmita Dev also called the development false and urged media to fact-check before publishing news. Furthermore, the Trinamool Congress warned of appropriate legal action against any false reporting or misleading posts. The timing of these developments adds another layer to the political narrative. The KMC notices reportedly came days after the BJP, led by prominent figures like Suvendu Adhikari (Leader of the Opposition in West Bengal), intensified their offensive against the TMC. Suvendu Adhikari, a senior BJP leader, had earlier claimed to possess a list of properties linked to Abhishek Banerjee's company, Leaps and Bounds, and warned of an investigation. He specifically mentioned that Abhishek Banerjee has 14 properties in the name of Leaps and Bounds, four in his own name, and six in his father's name, among other individuals whose assets were under scrutiny. While some search results incorrectly identified Suvendu Adhikari as the Chief Minister of West Bengal, it is important to note that Mamata Banerjee is the current Chief Minister, and Suvendu Adhikari holds the position of Leader of the Opposition. This property dispute is seen as an escalation of the political battle in West Bengal. Abhishek Banerjee, who had previously declared assets worth Rs 2.3 crore in movable property, liabilities of Rs 36 lakh, and an annual income of Rs 1.4 crore for FY2023 in his affidavit for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, has accused the BJP of pursuing "vendetta politics" and asserted that he would not "bow down" despite the probe. The issue highlights the ongoing tension and allegations of corruption between the state's dominant political parties.

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