West Bengal

IIE DIGITAL DESK ; June 30, 2026 | Canning, West Bengal : The café allegedly constructed by Imran Molla, son of former Canning Purba MLA and Trinamool Congress leader Shaukat Molla, has not yet been demolished despite the expiry of the deadline set by the local administration. The development has drawn fresh attention after authorities had earlier directed that the structure be removed by June 29.

The allegations cited in the report, the café, named Aranyer Kule, was built after clearing mangrove vegetation and allegedly encroaching upon government land located on a char (riverine sandbar) along the Matla River. The construction became the subject of controversy after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) lodged a complaint with the administration, alleging that the café had been built illegally by damaging the environment and occupying public land.

The complaint, the Canning Sub-Divisional Administration initiated proceedings into the matter and summoned Imran Molla to appear before officials with documents relating to the ownership and legality of the land on which the café had been constructed. However, according to administrative sources cited in the report, Imran Molla did not appear before the authorities during the scheduled hearing despite being asked to produce the relevant land records.

Subsequently, the Canning Sub-Divisional Administration directed that the café must be dismantled on or before June 29. The order reportedly stated that Imran Molla himself would have to bear the cost of demolishing the structure and removing the construction from the site.

The deadline having passed, the café remains standing. Although essential furniture, equipment, and other materials have reportedly been removed from inside the premises, the building itself has not yet been demolished.

The failure to comply with the administrative order has now raised questions about the next course of action. Attention has shifted to whether the administration will proceed with demolition using bulldozers to enforce its directive after the expiry of the prescribed deadline.

The issue continues to attract political attention in West Bengal because of the reported involvement of the son of senior Trinamool Congress leader Shaukat Molla. Administrative authorities have not yet announced the next step, and it remains to be seen whether enforcement action will now be initiated to implement the demolition order.