Police cordon off property as demolition begins
A large police contingent was deployed around Jahangir Khan’s residence on Wednesday morning as officials arrived to begin the demolition.
The team was led by Falta Block Development Officer (BDO) Sandeep Singh Roy and the local officer-in-charge. Before the demolition work started, officials removed furniture and other household belongings from the property. Workers then began dismantling parts of the structure using handheld tools.
No family member was present at the residence during the operation.
According to administrative sources, the district administration had issued a demolition notice to Khan on November 2, giving him seven days to comply. As he allegedly failed to act within the stipulated period, the state government ordered the demolition of the building, which authorities described as unauthorised.
Officials said Khan had also failed to appoint a legal representative to attend any of the seven hearings conducted on the property issue before the notice was issued.
The BDO and the local police officer declined to comment on the proceedings. Other officials said they were carrying out an administrative order.
Allegations of land encroachment and building violations
The action against Khan's property reportedly followed complaints of land encroachment and violations of building regulations.
According to the complaints, the mansion was constructed on allegedly encroached land and exceeded the permissible height under building rules. There were also allegations that adjoining plots had been forcibly occupied during the construction.
These allegations relate specifically to the Srirampur property and are separate from other complaints involving Khan during the electoral process.
Chiranjit Halder, a local resident, alleged that portions of the land on which the building stands continue to be recorded in the names of neighbouring landowners. He also claimed that some of the plots were Debutter properties, meaning land or assets dedicated to a Hindu deity.
Halder accused Khan and his associates of using intimidation to occupy land and silence residents who opposed their activities.
“In this Hindu-dominated area, Jahangir had a personal army of goons who grabbed land and unleashed terror. People had no freedom of expression. Even a minor protest against his activities could invite serious trouble,” he alleged.
These claims were made by local residents and have not been independently established in the report.
BJP leader's complaint preceded administrative action
BJP leader Bidhan Parui, co-convener of the party's state trade union relations committee, said his complaint had prompted the administration to investigate properties allegedly developed by Khan through land grabbing and building-rule violations.
Parui alleged that Khan had used his political influence to intimidate political opponents and target BJP supporters after the 2021 Assembly elections.
He claimed that several houses belonging to BJP workers had been demolished using bulldozers and that he had been forced to stay away from Falta for nearly five years because of threats from Khan's associates.
“I was away from Falta for nearly five years, fearing his men,” Parui said.
He added that he had recently approached the administration seeking an investigation into Khan's properties. According to Parui, Khan did not send any representative to attend the hearings or comply with the demolition notice.
Parui also alleged that Khan had used his influence to obtain exemptions from electricity bills.
While saying that he did not take particular satisfaction in Khan's present circumstances, the BJP leader described the action as a warning to politicians against misusing public authority.
“Political power is meant to serve people, not rob them,” he said.
From political strongman to arrest near Nepal border
Jahangir Khan once wielded considerable influence in Falta during the Trinamool Congress's tenure in power. He became popularly associated with the film character Pushpa after repeatedly using the dialogue “Pushpa jhukega nahin” during his Assembly election campaign.
His political position came under pressure following the BJP's electoral victory in Bengal and allegations of electoral malpractice in Falta.
Khan's name also figured in complaints relating to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in the Diamond Harbour Lok Sabha constituency. The allegations included claims that booth-level officers were being pressured to facilitate the inclusion of names of deceased persons in the voter lists.
Following the allegations of poll-related malpractice, Khan withdrew from the Falta Assembly repoll and went into hiding.
He was arrested near the Nepal border in early June after the Calcutta High Court declined to extend interim protection granted to him in five FIRs.
His arrest and the subsequent administrative proceedings against his Srirampur property have marked a significant reversal in the fortunes of the former MLA, who was once a powerful political figure in the area.
Demolition follows multiple administrative hearings
The demolition operation on Wednesday came after the administration's hearings over the property and the subsequent notice issued on November 2.
According to officials cited in the report, Khan did not participate through a legal representative in any of the seven hearings. The administration proceeded with the demolition after the notice period expired without compliance.
The operation began with the removal of household belongings, followed by the dismantling of the structure.
The authorities have not publicly commented in detail on the demolition proceedings, while the allegations of land grabbing and intimidation raised by residents and political opponents remain attributed claims.
