The Calcutta High Court has ordered a temporary suspension of demolition activities at a residential property in Falta owned by former Trinamool Congress leader Jahangir Khan. Justice Suvra Ghosh issued this directive on Monday, requiring the state government to provide concrete evidence that all mandatory legal notices were delivered to the petitioner prior to the start of construction work. The matter is scheduled for further review on November 16, 2026.
LiveLaw reported that the court found the state failed to demonstrate that hearing notices were effectively served on Khan, who has been in judicial custody since June 8, 2026. His legal team argued that no notice was delivered to the correctional facility where he is held, nor was it properly communicated to his family at the residence. The petitioner’s lawyer stated that Khan only discovered the demolition through social media updates after the work had already begun.
During the hearing, the Advocate General for West Bengal defended the administrative steps, asserting that multiple notices were issued by both the Hearing Officer and the Executive Officer under the relevant provisions of the West Bengal Panchayat Act. The state claimed these notices were attached to the house wall and recorded on video. However, the court expressed doubt about the provided evidence. Justice Ghosh noted that the report regarding the notice attachment lacked the signature of any local witness, despite claims that residents were consulted. Additionally, the photographs submitted by the state did not clearly prove the property belonged to Khan.
The court also pointed out inconsistencies in the affidavits filed by Khan’s son, who listed the Falta house as his address but was living elsewhere. The judge observed that while the authority claimed ignorance of Khan’s custody status, this issue required detailed examination. Consequently, the court directed the respondents to produce videographic proof of the alleged notice attachment. The stay order explicitly restrains the respondents from proceeding with any further demolition activities until the next date of hearing.