A Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) inquiry, reportedly initiated over properties allegedly linked to Trinamool Congress National General Secretary and Diamond Harbour Lok Sabha member Abhishek Banerjee, his family, or associated companies, has triggered both a political controversy and a quiet organisational reckoning within the party. The probe — centred on whether constructions conform to sanctioned plans and whether taxes are pending — has placed senior Trinamool leaders in an awkward defensive position.

What the KMC Probe Involves

According to reports, KMC officials issued notices under provisions of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation Act, seeking approved building plans and related documents for a set of properties reportedly linked to Abhishek Banerjee. Officials are said to have visited several premises, including a property called 'Shantiniketan' in Kolkata. One report noted that a notice pasted on that property was later found torn — a small but symbolically charged episode in the broader political dispute.

The stated purpose of the notices is regulatory: to verify whether constructions comply with sanctioned plans and whether any tax dues are outstanding. No formal findings have been announced.

Long-Running Allegations and the 'Leaps and Bounds' Question

Even during the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool government's tenure, critics have repeatedly alleged that a 'large number of properties' were registered in the names of Abhishek Banerjee and a company called 'Leaps and Bounds', reportedly owned by him. The Trinamool Congress has consistently dismissed such allegations as a 'mud-slinging' exercise by the Opposition.

Trinamool Spokesperson and Beleghata MLA Kunal Ghosh, in a Facebook post late Thursday evening, termed the allegations false and directed people to examine Abhishek Banerjee's declared wealth as submitted in his election affidavit. In 2024, Banerjee had declared total assets worth more than ₹2.32 crore with liabilities of approximately ₹36 lakh. His personal income was declared at ₹82.58 lakh for 2022-23, a notable decline from over ₹90.5 lakh and ₹1.51 crore declared in the two preceding financial years.

The Internal Party Strain

The episode has, according to a Trinamool Congress functionary, given some leaders within the organisation 'a chance to speak' with the party's heir apparent 'on their own terms.' The issue was reportedly addressed indirectly at a recent internal meeting, where a leader once considered close to Abhishek Banerjee suggested there were subjects that needed to be discussed in detail.

For senior Trinamool leaders, the situation is more defensive than disruptive. Publicly distancing themselves from the probe is complicated by the fact that KMC is itself a Trinamool-run civic body — making it difficult to frame the action as external political persecution.

Mayor Hakim's Distancing and a Councillor's Resignation

Kolkata Mayor Firhad Hakim — a four-time Trinamool legislator and former Minister in the Mamata Banerjee-led West Bengal Cabinet — publicly distanced himself from the notices, claiming he had no knowledge of the KMC initiating a probe into such properties and that such matters are handled by the civic body's executive wing.

Shortly after the notices were reported, Trinamool Congress Councillor Debalina Biswas — also Chairperson of KMC's Borough Number 9 — resigned from the Borough Committee chairperson's post. In a letter addressed to KMC Chairperson Mala Roy, Biswas stated she would continue as Councillor of Ward 74. The timing of her resignation drew immediate attention within political circles.

What Comes Next

Even if the civic scrutiny does not result in formal findings, the narrative keeps questions of assets, ownership, and tax compliance in public view — a sustained reputational challenge for a leader widely seen as Trinamool's future. The episode underscores a broader tension: how a ruling party manages accountability inquiries when the investigating body is itself under its political control.