The Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) has issued notices to Trinamool Congress MP and the party’s All India general secretary Abhishek Banerjee, asking him to submit documents related to nearly 21 landed properties in Kolkata. According to highly-placed civic body sources, the notices were sent to verify whether the constructions on these properties match the building plans approved by the municipal corporation.

The notices were issued under Section 400(1) of the KMC Act, 1980. The provision allows owners of allegedly illegal constructions to appear before civic authorities and present their side before any further action is taken. Sources said the KMC’s building department is examining whether the buildings linked to Banerjee and a company named ‘Leaps and Bounds’ were constructed according to sanctioned plans.

The civic body has also asked Banerjee to submit all necessary documents connected to the building plans and construction works of the properties. Officials want to determine whether the constructions are legal and whether there were any deviations from approved plans.

The properties mentioned in the notices include Banerjee’s residence at 188A Harish Mukherjee Road and another adjacent building located on Kalighat Road. Civic body sources said notices were served on properties either owned directly by Banerjee or allegedly linked to him through associates or companies.

An official from the KMC said the notices were issued after an internal inquiry by the corporation reportedly found deviations from sanctioned building plans. “We served notices on properties owned by Abhishek Banerjee or having links with him. Some notices were pasted on the facades of the buildings, while others were handed over to people present there. The owners have been asked to appear before the special officer (building) at the KMC headquarters. They can also send their representatives,” an official of the KMC said.

The KMC is headed by Trinamool Congress MLA Firhad Hakim as mayor. Sources said the civic body has prepared a list of properties allegedly belonging to Banerjee individually or jointly with others within the KMC area.

The notices were served on Monday evening. Around the same time, senior BJP leader and West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari addressed a victory celebration rally on Camac Street, where Banerjee’s office is located. During his speech, Suvendu claimed that he had directed senior government officials to collect details of properties linked to four Trinamool Congress leaders.

“I had asked the secretary of the municipal affairs department and the commissioner of the KMC (to obtain property details) of four persons,” Suvendu said at the rally before naming them.

He further said, “The first one is Beleghata’s Raju Naskar, who has 18 properties recorded in his name. Second is Kasba’s Sona Pappu, who has 24 properties. Third is ‘Bhatija’ (nephew) Abhishek Banerjee. There are 14 properties registered in the name of the Leaps and Bounds company, four in his own name and six in the name of his father, according to the CM Suvendu.”

Suvendu also named another Trinamool-linked individual during the rally. “The fourth is the son of Javed Khan, Trinamool Congress’ three-time MLA from Kasba constituency, who has 90 properties,” he claimed.

The BJP leader had made similar allegations against Banerjee during a rally in Falta constituency under the Diamond Harbour Lok Sabha seat on Saturday. During that speech, he intensified attacks on former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and her nephew Abhishek Banerjee. He alleged that there should be inquiries into Banerjee’s alleged disproportionate properties.

Suvendu also referred to the rape and murder case of a woman doctor at R G Kar Medical College Hospital. He alleged that Mamata Banerjee’s government had used three IPS officers to suppress facts and tamper with evidence related to the incident.

Neither Abhishek Banerjee nor his secretary Sumit Roy responded to WhatsApp messages sent by TNIE seeking their reaction to the notices and allegations. As of now, there has been no official statement from Banerjee or the Trinamool Congress regarding the KMC action.