West Bengal Police summon AJUP chief Humayun Kabir’s wife ‘for building house on wetland’
Last month, a show-cause notice was issued to Mira Sultana for allegedly changing the classification of 0.2 acres of land in Murshidabad district without prior permission.
Aam Janata Unnayan Party (AJUP) chairperson and suspended Trinamool Congress (TMC) MLA Humayun Kabir’s wife, Mira Sultana, was summoned to the Shaktipur police station in West Bengal’s Murshidabad district on Wednesday, in connection with allegations that their house was built by illegally filling up a wetland.
Police sources said it is a cognisable offence to encroach on government land and to fill up wetlands illegally. Sultana had earlier been served a show‑cause notice by the Land and Land Reforms Department, but she failed to respond, after which a First Information Report (FIR) was lodged.
Kabir’s house is located in Manikyahar village in Murshidabad district. The property is registered in his wife’s name, and it is this house that has triggered the controversy. It is being alleged that the house was built without officially changing the land’s classification and that it stands over a nala or drainage channel.
Last month, the Land and Land Reforms Department had issued a notice to Sultana, stating that in Manikyahar Mouza, JL No. 92, Plot No. 4404, the character of approximately 0.2 acres of land had been illegally altered. The notice was issued following a petition signed by multiple people. Sultana was asked to respond within seven days, explaining the alleged illegal change in land classification. The notice also asked why action should not be taken against her under the West Bengal Land Reforms Act, 1955, if a satisfactory reply is not received.
Land classified as ‘nala’ generally refers to small drainage channels or water bodies used for water flow, often considered part of wetlands or agricultural land. Legally, filling such land or altering its classification without permission is prohibited. Officials allege that these legal provisions were violated.
However, Kabir has claimed that he and his family have been living in the house for the past 17 to 18 years. He also said that during the Left Front regime, he had repeatedly approached government offices to convert the land’s classification into ‘homestead’ (residential land). According to him, no objections were raised by the administration at the time of construction.
Earlier, Raihan Ali, Kabir’s son-in-law, was summoned under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, asking him to appear for questioning on February 28. This came after the police seized 14 properties and 15 bank accounts linked to Ali, his father, Shariful Islam, and Humayun Kabir’s daughter, Nazma Sultana, on February 8 and 9 under the NDPS Act following court orders in a 2025 case.
Tanusree Bose is a dedicated journalist reporting for The Indian Express from Kolkata. Her work focuses sharply on the complex administrative, political, and judicial developments across West Bengal, establishing her as an authoritative voice in regional news coverage.
Experience
Current Role: Reports for the prestigious national daily, The Indian Express, providing her content with a high level of Trustworthiness.
Geographical Expertise: Provides focused, in-depth coverage of West Bengal, demonstrating an intimate knowledge of the state's news and political nuances.
Core Authority: Her reporting portfolio highlights deep Expertise in crucial, often sensitive, beats, including:
State Politics and Governance: Covering the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC), opposition strategies (BJP), and internal political controversies.
Judicial and Administrative Affairs: Closely monitoring key developments in the Calcutta High Court, particularly major rulings related to employment, education, and social issues.
Education Sector: Extensive reporting on significant controversies, such as teacher recruitment irregularities and administrative actions by the West Bengal Board of Secondary Education (WBBSE).
Social & Electoral Issues: Covering public events, community tensions (e.g., religious/political gatherings), and election-related processes like the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral roll.
Tanusree Bose's consistent output and focus on high-stakes regional issues for a trusted media outlet underscore her status as a reliable and authoritative source for news from West Bengal. ... Read More
