Continue suo motu hearing: SC to HC on riverbank project
Times of India | 6 February 2026
Kolkata: In a PIL flagging illegal construction on the Hooghly banks, where the litigant was fined Rs 50,000 for not disclosing pending FIRs, the Supreme Court recently requested Calcutta High Court to continue hearing it in a suo motu capacity and appoint an eminent lawyer as an amicus curiae.
The three-judge bench of Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice Vijay Bishnoi on Jan 15 held, "...we modify the order of the HC only to the limited extent that the High Court is requested to continue suo motu with the subject proceedings. For proper assistance, we request the HC to appoint an eminent lawyer as an amicus curiae. The official respondents are directed to produce all relevant records before the High Court to extend full assistance."
The SC said the PIL petitioner will not be allowed to participate in court proceedings, though he was given liberty to assist the amicus curiae.
In Dec 2025, the division bench of Chief Justice Sujoy Paul and Justice Partha Sarathi Sen held that the PIL was maintainable but fined the litigant Rs 50,000 for not disclosing 6 pending FIRs. Garia resident Sandip Pramanik filed the PIL against construction of a 45-storey building on the Hooghly banks by PS Group Realty Private Limited. The realty group's counsel argued that the PIL was not maintainable on multiple grounds.