Bengal court orders probe against Abhishek Banerjee in land-grab case
Synopsis
A Nadia district court has directed police to investigate TMC general secretary Abhishek Banerjee and 29 others over alleged illegal government land seizures in Nadia and Murshidabad — a case the complainant says he first raised in 2016 but was silenced through threats. The probe order comes in the wake of West Bengal's recent political changeover, signalling a new legal front for the TMC leadership.
Key Takeaways
The Krishnanagar District Sessions Court in Nadia ordered a police probe against Abhishek Banerjee and 29 others on Thursday .
The complaint was filed by Bapan Ghosh of Kaliganj on 15 July , alleging illegal land grabbing since 2016 in Nadia and Murshidabad districts.
Among the accused are a sitting TMC MLA from Kaliganj , former Beldanga MLA Alifa Ahmed , and Hasanuzzaman Sheikh .
The complainant alleged he was threatened by TMC activists after reporting the matter to police and the forest department.
Alifa Ahmed denied all charges, calling them “political vendetta.” Responses from Abhishek Banerjee and Sheikh were unavailable.
A Nadia district court in West Bengal has ordered a police investigation against Trinamool Congress (TMC) general secretary and Diamond Harbour Lok Sabha member Abhishek Banerjee and 29 others in connection with alleged illegal land grabbing spanning two districts — Nadia and Murshidabad. The order was issued by the Krishnanagar District Sessions Court on Thursday, following a petition filed by a local resident.
Who Has Been Named
Among the 30 accused are the sitting TMC legislator from Kaliganj Assembly constituency in Nadia district; Alifa Ahmed, a former TMC legislator from Beldanga Assembly constituency in Murshidabad; Hasanuzzaman Sheikh; and several other leaders from the state's previous ruling party across both districts. Abhishek Banerjee, who is also the nephew of former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, is the most prominent name in the complaint.
What the Complaint Alleges
Bapan Ghosh, a resident of Kaliganj, filed the case before the Krishnanagar District Sessions Court on 15 July, alleging that since 2016, large plots of government land had been illegally seized and sold in Kaliganj block in Nadia and Shaktipur village under Bendanga-2 block in Murshidabad. The complaint further alleged that the land-grabbing operations led to large-scale destruction of greenery, with several trees felled — causing damage to the environment and government property.
Complainant Claims He Was Threatened
Ghosh stated in his petition that he had previously reported the matter to the police and the forest department, but received no response. He further claimed that, rather than action being taken, he was allegedly threatened by TMC activists. It was only after the recent change in government in West Bengal, following the state Assembly elections, that he approached the district court.
Reactions from the Accused
Responses from Abhishek Banerjee and Hasanuzzaman Sheikh were not available at the time of reporting. Alifa Ahmed, however, denied all charges in remarks to media. “I was never involved with such activities. Such allegations are being made against me only out of political vendetta,” she said.
What Happens Next
With the court's directive now in place, the police are expected to formally register and investigate the complaint. The case is being watched closely given the high-profile nature of those named, and comes amid a broader wave of legal proceedings against former TMC functionaries following the political transition in West Bengal.
Point of View
And legal cases against former TMC functionaries are multiplying. What deserves scrutiny is not just the land-grabbing allegation itself, but the complainant's claim that earlier reports to the police and forest department were met with silence and threats. If that account holds, it points to a systemic failure of institutional oversight that predates the current political transition. The involvement of a Lok Sabha MP of Abhishek Banerjee's stature will test whether the new administration pursues these cases with consistency or selectively — a distinction that will define the credibility of West Bengal's post-election accountability moment.
NationPress
13 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Abhishek Banerjee land-grabbing case about?
A Nadia district court has ordered a police probe against TMC general secretary Abhishek Banerjee and 29 others over alleged illegal seizure and sale of government land in Nadia and Murshidabad districts since 2016. The case was filed by local resident Bapan Ghosh, who claims he was threatened after raising the issue with authorities.
Who else is named in the case alongside Abhishek Banerjee?
The 30 accused include the sitting TMC MLA from Kaliganj, former Beldanga MLA Alifa Ahmed, TMC leader Hasanuzzaman Sheikh, and several other party functionaries from Nadia and Murshidabad districts.
Why did the complainant approach the court only now?
Bapan Ghosh stated that his earlier complaints to the police and the forest department yielded no action, and that he was allegedly threatened by TMC activists. He filed the court petition after the recent change in government in West Bengal.
What did Alifa Ahmed say about the allegations?
Alifa Ahmed denied all charges, telling media: ‘I was never involved with such activities. Such allegations are being made against me only out of political vendetta.’ Responses from Abhishek Banerjee and Hasanuzzaman Sheikh were not available.
What happens next in the case?
Following the Krishnanagar District Sessions Court's order, police are now required to formally investigate the complaint. The case is expected to draw significant attention given the seniority of those named and the broader context of post-election legal proceedings in West Bengal.
