Rs 11,000 cost imposed on ex-Bidhannagar mayor, others for

The Calcutta High Court on Wednesday imposed a cost of Rs 11,000 on former Bidhannagar mayor Sabyasachi Dutta and others for misleading it while obtaining leave for urgent hearing of a petition filed by him.

Dutta, who had resigned as the mayor of Bidhannagar after moving to the BJP from Trinamool Congress, and two other residents of the city had approached the high court on January 20 seeking an order for demolition of 10 buildings, which they alleged were illegal constructions within the municipal area.

Claiming urgency, their lawyers prayed for a hearing on the next date, which was granted by Justice Rajasekhar Mantha.

During the hearing of Dutta's petition, Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation (BMC)'s lawyer Arka Nag claimed that the ground given by the former mayor seeking leave for urgent hearing of the case was not correct.

The petitioners claimed that stop-work notices were served on construction at the 10 premises when Dutta was the mayor, but work has resumed after he relinquished the post.

Nag claimed that Dutta, who is still an elected councillor at the BMC, could have raised the alleged issue in the appropriate forum at the municipal body itself, but instead of doing so, he chose to move the court.

Justice Mantha, on finding that the court was misled in obtaining leave for urgent hearing, imposed a cost of Rs 11,000 on Dutta and the two other residents, which they will be required to pay to the BMC.

The court said the matter can be taken up before a regular bench as per norms, instead of being given an urgent hearing.