What Calcutta High Court held on plea alleging illegal Trinamul Shiksha Samiti office inside Rabindra Bharati University campus

The Calcutta High Court on Monday ordered the eviction of an office of the West Bengal Trinamul Shiksha Bandhu Samiti from Rabindra Bharati University's campus, which houses the ancestral house of Rabindranath Tagore [Swadesh Majumdar v State of West Bengal]..A bench comprising Chief Justice Prakash Shrivastava and Justice R Bharadwaj was hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) petition filed by Swadesh Majumdar and Jaita Das claiming that two rooms in the heritage building were illegally converted for use as office of the West Bengal Trinamul Shiksha Bandhu Samiti..In response, an affidavit filed by the Vice-Chancellor (VC) of the university, acknowledged that there were indeed illegal constructions within the university campus by the Trinamul Shiksha Bandhu Samiti. However, the affidavit said that on inquiry, it was found that the said organization was not a front organization of the ruling Trinamool Congress party.The affidavit further stated the following:- The respondents were running photocopy shops and canteen inside the building without permission;- They had kept personal vehicles inside the campus;- Illegal construction such as installation of the Biswa Bangla Logo, affiliated with the Government of West Bengal, was done;- A portion of the building was converted into the office of the Bandhu Samiti; - A gallery garden was allegedly destroyed; - Illegal construction was visible;- State emblem was distorted at Jorasanko by office bearers of the Bandhu Samiti..Further, it was the VC's stand that the university itself could not make construction on the campus without permission from the concerned department."I say that all constructions made in different campuses are illegal and without any administrative approval and financial concurrence."Therefore, it was stated that the university was ready to restore the property. However, the cost would be recovered from those responsible for the damage..The Kolkata Municipal Corporation also informed the Court that the construction was done without permission from the Environment and Heritage Department.The counsel appearing for the State said that the police was ready to extend help to the Chairman of the Heritage Conservation Committee for restoration of possession to the university..Taking the VC's affidavit into account, the Court recorded that the respondents had not disputed that they were in possession of two rooms on campus, and they had failed to disclose an allotment letter..Therefore, it was said that once it is found that illegal encroachment was done, the same had to be removed to preserve the sanctity of the institution and considering the students' interest..Consequently, all concerned authorities were directed to work in coordination to ensure that encroachers were evicted, and the damaged portion was restored. "Let this exercise be completed within a period of three weeks and compliance report be submitted," the order said. .The case will be heard again on December 19, 2022..Advocates Srijib Chakraborty, Diptangshu Kar and Arijit Bera appeared for the petitioners while advocates Nilotpal Chatterjee, Sutanu Chakrabarti, Jahar Lal De and Supratim Dhar represented the State.Advocates Arunangshu Chakrabarti, Geniya Mukherjee, Asmita Dutta appeared for the university.Advocates Alak Kumar Ghosh and Era Ghose appeared for the Municipal Corporation.The respondents were represented by Advocates Kishore Mukherjee and Sankha Subhra Ray..[Read Order]