Chief minister Suvendu Adhikari on Monday said that property reports from the municipal affairs department and the Kolkata Municipal Corporation revealed that among the 24 properties allegedly belonging to Trinamool Congress MP Abhishek Banerjee, 14 are registered in the name of his purported company Leaps and Bounds, four in the MP's name and six more in his father's name.
At a thanksgiving rally in Bhabanipur, Bengal's first BJP chief minister revealed details about the properties of three more Trinamool leaders or their close aides, before asserting that his government would send all corrupt persons behind bars.
"I had asked the secretary of the municipal affairs department and the commissioner of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (to obtain property details) of four persons. Do you want to know their names?" Suvendu asked.
"First is Beleghata's Raju Naskar, who has 18 properties. Second is Kasba's Sona Pappu, who has 24 properties. Third is Bhatija (Hindi for 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. The fourth is the son of Javed (Ahmed) Khan (Trinamool's Kasba MLA), who has 90 properties," Suvendu said.
"Those who have looted the people are looters. Like (police officer) Shantanu Sinha Biswas and (former minister) Sujit Bose, who had been sent to jail, the BJP government will, in the near future, ensure that all such corrupt people are sent behind bars," he added.
On Monday night, Sona Pappu, aka Biswajit Poddar, an alleged Trinamool strongman in Kasba, was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate. Naskar, a Trinamool leader, was arrested by the Kolkata Police in February after a tenant accused him of kidnapping and assault over a property dispute in Beleghata.
On Monday, Abhishek went to Calcutta High Court to seek protection in a case recently lodged against him by Bidhannagar police.
Jahangir relief
Calcutta High Court on Monday directed the police not to take coercive action against Jahangir Khan, Falta's Trinamool candidate, on pending FIRs against him till May 26. Justice Saugata Bhattacharyya issued the order after Khan moved court, seeking protection. The Falta repoll will be held on May 21.
Additional reporting by Tapas Ghosh