Kolkata Warehouse Collapse: Former Mayor's Aide Sent to Police Custody as Probe Deepens

A Kolkata court on Friday remanded Kalicharan Bandyopadhyay, former Officer on Special Duty (OSD) to ex-Kolkata Mayor Firhad Hakim, to police custody until July 4 in connection with a warehouse collapse that killed 15 people in the city.

Bandyopadhyay, widely known by his nickname 'Kali', was arrested on Thursday by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) constituted to investigate the collapse of the warehouse in the Tangra area.

Special Public Prosecutor Sourin Ghosal argued before the court that Bandyopadhyay was directly involved in the issuance of the construction license for the warehouse. He sought police custody to further investigate the case and to identify the masterminds behind an alleged racket involving the granting of licenses from the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC), of which the accused was a part.

The warehouse collapse, which occurred on June 22, has raised serious questions about the adherence to building safety norms and the role of municipal officials in approving construction projects. The SIT is probing whether corruption and negligence contributed to the disaster.

Firhad Hakim, who served as the mayor of Kolkata from 2018 to 2022, is a prominent leader of the Trinamool Congress and currently holds a ministerial position in the West Bengal government. Bandyopadhyay's close association with Hakim has drawn political attention, though no allegations have been made against the former mayor himself.

The court's decision to remand Bandyopadhyay to police custody reflects the seriousness of the investigation. The SIT aims to uncover the full chain of responsibility, from the builders to the officials who approved the construction.

Relatives of the victims have demanded justice and a thorough inquiry. The incident has sparked protests in the city, with residents calling for stricter enforcement of building regulations and accountability for those responsible.

As the investigation widens, the Kolkata Police and the SIT are expected to question several other municipal officials and builders. The case highlights ongoing concerns about urban safety and governance in Kolkata's rapidly developing areas.