Don’t miss the latest developments in business and finance.

Calcutta High Court asks Venkatesh Films to vacate prime KoPT land

City-based Venkatesh Films was directed to hand over 69,000 sq ft of land in its possession

Dealing with poorly drafted laws
Press Trust of India Kolkata
Last Updated : Oct 15 2015 | 5:52 PM IST
The Calcutta High Court today directed a film and TV production house to vacate a piece of prime land and hand over its possession to Kolkata Port Trust, the original owner of the land, by November 16.

Justice Dipankar Dutta directed Kolkata Police authorities to provide police protection to KoPT officials on the date of taking back possession and provide security thereafter, cost for which would be borne by the port authorities.

City-based Venkatesh Films was directed to hand over 69,000 sq ft of land in its possession near Taratala in the western part of the city by November 16.

Also Read

KoPT officials had on September 14 taken back possession of the land on the basis of a court order, only to be dispossessed within hours allegedly by some toughs. It then moved the high court seeking direction to the police to assist it in getting back the land.

LMJ Construction Private Ltd claimed that it had taken the land, measuring 80,040 sq ft, on rent from Avery India Limited to which KoPT had leased out the land several decades ago. LMJ had then sub-let a portion of the land, measuring 69,000 sq ft, to Venkatesh Films.

Venkatesh Films submitted that it was ready to give back possession of the constructed portion of land measuring 19,000 sq ft today itself and the rest by November 16 to whoever the court directed. At this, LMJ claimed that any handing over of the piece of land should be done through it.

Justice Dutta, who noted that LMJ had sub-let the land to Venkatesh Films to use it without consent of KoPT, refused to allow LMJ to have any stake in the handing over of the piece of land to KoPT. LMJ had sub-let another 2,000 sq ft to a different outfit and has the rest 9,000 sq ft in its possession.

Justice Dutta had on October 13 directed the land manager of KoPT to inspect and measure the land and submit a report before his court today.

The inspection was done with police protection, in view of the incident of September 14, and the report was submitted along with pictures.

More From This Section

First Published: Oct 15 2015 | 5:22 PM IST

Next Story