West Bengal

IIE DIGITAL DESK : The controversy has erupted around suspended Trinamool Congress MLA and founder of the Amjanata Unnayan Party, Humayun Kabir, after police summoned his wife in connection with allegations that their house in Murshidabad was built by illegally filling a wetland. The development has added to the political and legal troubles surrounding the former legislator.

Humayun Kabir’s residence is located in Manikyahar village in the Shaktipur area of Murshidabad district. The property, however, is registered in the name of his wife, Mita Sultana. It is this house that has now become the center of a growing dispute over alleged illegal land use and construction.

Police have asked Mita Sultana to appear at Shaktipur Police Station around noon on Wednesday to respond to the allegations. The summons comes after complaints surfaced that the house had been constructed by filling a wetland without obtaining proper approval from the authorities or legally changing the nature of the land.

Officials from the Land and Land Reforms Department had earlier issued a formal notice to Kabir’s wife regarding the matter. According to the notice, the land in question is located in Manikyahar mouza under JL number 92, plot number 4404, covering an area of approximately 0.2 acres. Authorities stated that the nature of the land had allegedly been changed illegally before the construction of the house.

The department said a written complaint signed by multiple local residents had been submitted, alleging that the land was originally classified as a “nala,” which generally refers to a drainage channel, small canal, or water body used for water flow and agricultural drainage. Such land is considered environmentally sensitive and forms part of the water management system in rural areas.

Under the law, filling or altering the character of a “nala” without prior permission from the Land and Land Reforms Department is illegal. Authorities maintain that the construction was carried out in violation of these regulations, prompting them to seek an explanation from the property owner.

The notice issued to Mita Sultana directed her to submit a written response within seven days. It also warned that failure to provide a satisfactory explanation could lead to legal action under the provisions of the West Bengal Land Reforms Act of 1955. The department has asked why proceedings should not be initiated against her for allegedly changing the land’s classification unlawfully.

Humayun Kabir, however, has strongly denied any wrongdoing. Speaking about the controversy, he said that he and his family have been living in the house for nearly 17 to 18 years. According to him, the property was constructed long ago and no objections were raised by the administration at the time.

Kabir also claimed that during the Left Front government in West Bengal, he had repeatedly approached government offices to formally change the classification of the land to “bhite,” a category that allows residential construction. He argued that despite these efforts, no clear action was taken by the authorities back then.

The former TMC leader alleged that the current notice and police summons were politically motivated. According to him, the action is a result of political vendetta after he left the Trinamool Congress and launched his own political outfit, the Amjanata Unnayan Party.

“This is nothing but an act of political revenge,” Kabir said, accusing the ruling party of targeting him and his family because of his decision to form a new political party.

The issue has now taken on both legal and political dimensions, with local authorities examining the land records and the circumstances surrounding the construction. As the investigation moves forward, the case is likely to draw further attention in Murshidabad’s political circles, especially given Kabir’s recent break from the ruling party and his attempts to establish a new political platform.