Former Kolkata deputy mayor Atin Ghosh, daughter booked in Rs 4-crore real estate case

“Atin Ghosh, his daughter, and their party cadres arrived at my house, intimidated me, and forced me to sign property documents in their presence. They took those papers away, and I haven’t seen them since,” Paul alleged, claiming the family used political muscle because the daughter wanted to stay there post-marriage.

She further stated that an unwanted advance payment of Rs 50 lakh was forcibly credited to her bank account despite her refusal to sell. “I subsequently returned the entire amount along with interest. However, instead of accepting the refund, they blocked my account by raising false reports of fraudulent activity,” Paul claimed.

She noted that with the recent political shift and change of government in the state, she finally feels safe enough to fight to get her house back.

‘Not a forced takeover’

Priyadarshini Ghosh denied the allegations, claiming that the dispute was a legitimate real estate investment and that her family was actually the defrauded party.

“This is purely a property dispute where Kamalini Paul has cheated us. She is exploiting the current political scenario to fabricate these malicious allegations without any valid proof,” Ghosh told The Indian Express. She also defended her father’s reputation, stating that he was never associated with or involved in this transaction and had never even met the complainant.

She further stated, “When we invested in the property, we were informed that it belonged to the complainant’s mother, and we found that the mutation papers were in her name. Since the bank required additional documents, we requested more paperwork. We were then provided with a legal heirship certificate indicating that her entire family was the legal heir of her deceased father.”

“Suddenly, she came forward and claimed that there was a will naming her as the heir. She stated that she had given us peaceful possession, and according to our agreement, we paid her Rs 50 lakh. She assured us that she would obtain the probate after which the transaction would be completed.”

“If this were a forced takeover, why would we pay via traceable bank cheques?” Ghosh questioned, adding that Paul failed to secure legal probate of the will for nine years, thereby delaying the finalisation of the transaction. “We are in lawful possession of the house and will move competent legal authorities. My father has a spotless 50-year record in public life, and dragging his name into this to give it a political angle is deeply traumatic.”

Atin Ghosh did not respond to multiple calls and text messages from The Indian Express. Meanwhile, police sources confirmed that a formal investigation has been initiated to verify all property deeds, banking transactions, and legal agreements submitted by both sides.