Kolkata warehouse roof collapse: Firhad Hakim's OSD Kalicharan Banerjee suspended by KMC
Synopsis
The Kolkata Municipal Corporation has suspended Kalicharan Banerjee — widely known as Firhad Hakim's right-hand man — after his arrest in the Taratala warehouse roof collapse that killed 16 people. Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari had already named him in the Assembly, alleging no building in Kolkata moved without his word. The suspension is the first formal administrative fallout from the disaster.
Key Takeaways
Kalicharan Banerjee , OSD to former Kolkata Mayor Firhad Hakim , was suspended by the KMC on 1 July 2025 after spending more than 72 hours in police custody.
His arrest is linked to the collapse of an under-construction warehouse roof in Taratala, Kolkata on 24 June 2025 , which claimed 16 lives .
Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari named Banerjee in the state Assembly, alleging every building approval in Kolkata passed through him.
Adhikari claimed Banerjee was appointed to the KMC on orders from the office of TMC general secretary Abhishek Banerjee at Camac Street .
Banerjee allegedly handled the MP Fund and MLA Area Development Project in addition to his OSD duties.
He can return to duty only after being cleared through the legal process, per KMC rules.
Kalicharan Banerjee, Officer on Special Duty (OSD) to former Kolkata Mayor Firhad Hakim, has been suspended by the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) after spending more than 72 hours in police custody in connection with the deadly roof collapse at an under-construction warehouse in Taratala on 24 June 2025. The incident claimed 16 lives and triggered a Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe by Kolkata Police.
Why Banerjee Was Suspended
A KMC official confirmed on Wednesday, 1 July that the suspension was automatic under civic body rules, which mandate action if an employee remains in police custody beyond 72 hours. 'As he remained in police custody for more than 72 hours, he has been suspended in accordance with KMC rules. He can resume duty only if he is cleared through the legal process,' the official said.
Banerjee was arrested on the night of 25 June by the SIT constituted to investigate the warehouse collapse and has remained in custody since.
How Banerjee Came Into the Spotlight
Banerjee's name entered public discourse when Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari raised it in the state Assembly, displaying documents and referring to a person named 'Kali' while targeting former Mayor Firhad Hakim.
'Kali was appointed to the KMC on the orders of Camac Street,' Adhikari said, referring to the office of All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) general secretary Abhishek Banerjee. 'There is no building in Kolkata that Kali does not know. Every building was approved on his word,' the Chief Minister added.
Who Is Kalicharan Banerjee
Kalicharan Banerjee is widely regarded within the KMC as Hakim's 'right-hand man.' A state government employee, he previously served in the West Bengal Police before transitioning into the state administration as a bureaucrat. He joined the KMC after Hakim assumed the mayoralty following the resignation of Sovan Chatterjee in late 2018.
Beyond his OSD role, Banerjee allegedly handled the MP Fund and the MLA Area Development Project. KMC sources claim he wielded considerable influence within the civic body, with no construction project in the city reportedly moving forward without his approval.
The Taratala Collapse and What Comes Next
The Taratala warehouse roof collapse on 24 June is one of the deadliest construction-related disasters in Kolkata in recent years, with 16 confirmed fatalities. The SIT probe is ongoing, and investigators are believed to be examining the chain of approvals that allowed the under-construction structure to proceed. Banerjee's suspension marks the first formal administrative action against a KMC employee in connection with the incident. Further arrests or departmental proceedings are expected as the investigation widens.
Point of View
But its political weight is anything but routine. Chief Minister Adhikari's Assembly intervention — naming Banerjee and pointing to Camac Street — signals that the Taratala collapse has become a live political weapon against the TMC ahead of the next electoral cycle. What the investigation has not yet established publicly is the precise link between approvals Banerjee allegedly controlled and the structural failure itself; until that chain is documented, the accountability narrative risks outrunning the evidence. The deeper question is systemic: if KMC sources are correct that no construction project moved without one official's nod, that points to a governance failure far larger than any single arrest can resolve.
NationPress
1 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why was Kalicharan Banerjee suspended by the KMC?
Kalicharan Banerjee was suspended by the Kolkata Municipal Corporation because he remained in police custody for more than 72 hours, triggering an automatic suspension under KMC service rules. He was arrested on 25 June 2025 in connection with the Taratala warehouse roof collapse that killed 16 people.
What is the Taratala warehouse roof collapse?
The Taratala warehouse roof collapse occurred on 24 June 2025 in Kolkata, when the roof of an under-construction warehouse caved in, killing 16 people. Kolkata Police formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the incident, and Kalicharan Banerjee was among the first arrested.
Who is Kalicharan Banerjee and what was his role?
Kalicharan Banerjee is a state government employee who served as Officer on Special Duty to former Kolkata Mayor Firhad Hakim. He is widely regarded as Hakim's right-hand man within the KMC and allegedly wielded significant influence over building approvals in the city.
What did Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari say about Banerjee?
Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari named Banerjee — referring to him as 'Kali' — in the West Bengal Assembly, alleging he was appointed to the KMC on orders from the Camac Street office of TMC general secretary Abhishek Banerjee and that every building approval in Kolkata went through him.
Can Kalicharan Banerjee return to his KMC post?
Yes, but only after being cleared through the legal process. Under KMC rules, an employee suspended due to police custody of more than 72 hours can resume duty only once the legal proceedings are resolved in their favour.
