12 hrs ago
Judicial Panel Raids Former Councillor’s Home Over Assets
A government investigation team searched the home of former councillor Alakananda Das.
The team wanted to check whether she had more property or money than her reported income could explain.
Police officers accompanied the investigators to help keep the situation calm.
The team also searched other addresses connected to Das.
Das had served two terms as a councillor in Kolkata.
The commission recently inspected businesses linked to former mayor Firhad Hakim.
A complaint alleged that his businesses used waqf estate property illegally.
Hakim denied this and said his factories were on rented land.
A newly formed judicial commission raided former TMC councillor Alakananda Das’s Beleghata residence on Saturday.
The inquiry is examining whether Das acquired assets through corrupt means or could justify her declared income sources.
Officials reportedly conducted simultaneous searches at multiple addresses linked to Das, with Beleghata police present.
Das served two terms representing Ward 34 of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation, winning elections in 2015 and 2021.
The commission also recently inspected factories linked to former mayor Firhad Hakim, who denied allegations concerning their premises.
- Who
- A newly formed judicial commission, assisted by Beleghata police, searched properties linked to former Trinamool Congress councillor Alakananda Das.
- What
- The commission conducted searches as part of an investigation into alleged disproportionate assets and institutional corruption.
- Where
- Das’s primary residence in Beleghata and other linked addresses were searched; Hakim-linked factories were also inspected.
- When
- The raid took place on Saturday; related inspections of Firhad Hakim-linked factories occurred on Thursday, September 3.
- Why
- Officials were verifying Das’s declared income sources and investigating whether assets were acquired through corrupt means; a separate complaint alleged unlawful occupation of waqf estate property by Hakim-linked businesses.
Commission Allegations
Subject’s Response
Use of property and business premises
Commission Allegations
A complaint alleged that Firhad Hakim had illegally occupied Zohra Begum Waqf Estate property to operate businesses, prompting inspections by the commission.
Subject’s Response
Hakim denied wrongdoing, saying his factories had operated on rented property since 1985 and that he showed officials rent agreements and receipts.
Basis for the investigation
Commission Allegations
The commission is examining whether Alakananda Das acquired assets through corrupt means and whether her declared income explains those assets.
Subject’s Response
The articles do not report a response from Das to the allegations or searches.
Key facts
- Investigating body
- A newly formed judicial commission investigating complaints of institutional corruption
- Main subject
- Alakananda Das, a former Trinamool Congress councillor
- Raid location
- Das’s primary residence in Beleghata, Kolkata
- Additional searches
- Multiple addresses linked to Das were searched simultaneously
- Police involvement
- Officers from Beleghata police station accompanied the commission
- Das’s council tenure
- She represented Ward 34 for two terms, beginning with her 2015 election and winning reelection in 2021
- Related inspection
- Factories linked to former Kolkata mayor Firhad Hakim were inspected on September 3
Quotes
Senior officer of Beleghata police station
A senior police officer whose station accompanied the commission’s search team
“My factory has been on rented property since 1985. I showed the team the rent agreement and receipts. It was earlier registered under small-scale industries (SSI) and later as an MSME unit.”
telegraphindia.com
“Ismat Ara had lodged a complaint. A section believes that all politicians are corrupt. There is nothing illegal about the factory.”
telegraphindia.com
Sources
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