Court Halts McDonald’s Renovation

Calcutta Telegraph:

The high court on Tuesday restrained the franchisee owner of Park Street McDonald’s from continuing renovation of the premises till September 12. The eatery was destroyed in a blast on August 12 last year.

Justice Dipankar Dutta, who signed the order on Wednesday, also asked the state government to file a report by September 12 on the progress of the Calcutta police investigation into the blast.

The order was passed on a petition by Mohammad Alauddin, the father of Aftab Hussain Ansari who died in the blast. The 24-year-old was passing by the restaurant when the explosion took place.

Alauddin alleged that the police have been trying to shield the franchisee owner. His lawyers Negi Ahmed and D. Kabir argued that the police had started a case against unknown persons instead of lodging a case against the franchisee owner. The lawyers claimed that the fire brigade authorities had stated in their report that the restaurant owner was responsible for the blast.