Kalicharan Banerjee, alias Kali, the former Officer on Special Duty (OSD) to ex-Kolkata Mayor Firhad Hakim, was on Friday, 27 June 2025, remanded to police custody till 4 July by a lower court in Kolkata, days after the roof of an under-construction warehouse collapsed in the city's Taratala area. Banerjee had been arrested on the evening of 25 June and was produced before the court at Alipore in South Kolkata on Friday.

What the Prosecution Argued

Public prosecutor Sourin Ghoshal told the court that Banerjee was responsible for clearing faulty construction plans in exchange for money. 'Even if the plan was not eligible for approval, it would have been passed by the accused against money,' Ghoshal submitted. He further alleged that Banerjee had assembled a team specifically to prepare documents that would push through the flawed design for approval.

Ghoshal also argued that given Banerjee's influential connections, releasing him on bail risked witness intimidation and evidence tampering. The prosecution accordingly sought extended police custody for further interrogation.

Defence Counters With Bail Plea

Banerjee's counsel, while filing a bail application, contended that his client had been arrested from his residence on Thursday evening without any specific evidence directly linking him to the warehouse roof collapse. The defence argued that since all relevant documentation was publicly accessible on the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) website, continued interrogation of Banerjee was unnecessary. The court, however, rejected the bail plea and granted police remand till 4 July.

Assembly Statement That Triggered the Arrest

Banerjee's arrest followed a statement made in the West Bengal Legislative Assembly earlier on 26 June, in which he was referred to by his alias 'Kali.' It was claimed on the floor of the House that no construction plan was cleared by the Kolkata Municipal Corporation without his approval — a claim that placed him at the centre of the probe into the Taratala disaster.

Background: The Taratala Warehouse Collapse

The warehouse roof collapse in the Taratala area of Kolkata triggered a multi-agency investigation into alleged irregularities in construction approvals within the KMC. The incident has drawn attention to broader questions of accountability in urban construction oversight in West Bengal, particularly regarding the role of political aides in clearing building plans. Investigators are reportedly working to identify other members of what the prosecution described as a 'core team' involved in the approval process.

What Comes Next

With Banerjee in police custody till 4 July, investigators are expected to pursue leads on the wider network allegedly involved in passing non-compliant construction plans. The case has put a spotlight on the functioning of the KMC's plan-approval mechanism and could have significant political ramifications given Banerjee's proximity to senior civic leadership.