Judges victims of syndicate raj in WB: HC

Observing that even some judges are victims of a widespread 'syndicate raj' which controls construction work illegally, the Calcutta High Court today asked the West Bengal government what steps it has taken to control the menace.
Hearing a PIL by social worker Biplab Raychowdhury, a division bench of Chief Justice Manjula Chellur and Justice Arijit Banerjee said even their colleagues have become victims of the problem.
They asked the state government to file an affidavit before the court within three weeks on steps it has taken against 'syndicate raj'.
The bench said the issues raised in the PIL like hazard to common people and infringement of water bodies are only a tip of the iceberg.

The problem is widespread across the state and common people have been affected. Even judicial academies have not been spared as their work in Asansol and New Town has been affected, the bench said.
During the hearing, the judges, however, appreciated the state government's move to tackle the problem and said the 'syndicate raj' should be ended completely.
Syndicates are a sort of politician-contractor nexus and a loose consortium of people who operate as extortion agents in the real estate industry in the state.