Administration demolishes illegal cafe on Matla riverbank built by son of arrested ex-Trinamool MLA

Kolkata, July 2 (IANS) A bulldozer was used on Thursday morning to demolish the cafe of Imran Molla, son of former Trinamool Congress MLA Saokat Molla, which was built illegally on the banks of Matla River in South 24 Parganas district near Sundarbans.

The cafe named ‘Aranyer Kule’ was located on the banks of the Matla River in the Moukhali area under Jibantala police station in South 24 Parganas. On Thursday morning, the district administration brought in a bulldozer to demolish the cafe. A large number of police and administration officials were there at the time of the demolition.

On June 22, South 24 Parganas district administration issued a notice to Imran Molla to demolish the illegally-built cafe.

According to government officials, if the cafe was not demolished by him within seven days, a bulldozer would be used to raze it.

As Imran Molla did not pay heed to the earlier notice, the demolition process started today.

The administration informed that the demolition of the cafe is going on peacefully. The authorities claimed that the investigation and administrative action in the wake of allegations of encroachment, are proceeding in accordance with the law.

It is learnt that Imran Molla had built the cafe in Moukhali of South 24 Parganas district. At that time, his father Saokat Molla was an influential leader of the district and the Trinamool MLA from Canning Purba constituency.

Locals alleged that Imran Molla did illegal things because of his father’s influence. After Saokat lost the recently-concluded Assembly elections, one case after another was filed against him.

This controversial cafe is one of them.

Meanwhile, Saokat has been arrested by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in the Bhangar bomb blast case.

Before that, the investigators had taken his son Imran for questioning. At that time, the administration put up a notice at the gate of ‘Aranyer Kule’ to seek information about the cafe.

Recently, the Canning Sub-divisional Office ordered that the owner will have to demolish the cafeteria on his own initiative within the next seven days.

If it is not done within the specified time, the administration will conduct an eviction drive itself and the cost will have to be borne by the owner of the cafe.

The administration had earlier ordered Imran to submit all the legal documents related to the land by June 18. It is learnt that Imran’s lawyer was present at the hearing.

However, they could not show the legal documents of the land. The administration is taking this step after that development.

–IANS

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