Agartala August 6: Agartala Municipal Corporation Commissioner Shailesh Kumar Yadav locked Balaka Cinema Hall in the capital’s city center amid legal complications. And owner Debashish Saha made a complaint in a press conference at Agartala Press Club on Sunday that owner Debashish Saha was thrown out of the cinema hall.
He said that the hall and the food court were given the responsibility as the highest rent bidders through the tender. Renewal option 3 inclusive of all taxes is written in the contract that the Society of City Centers also offers. Accordingly the rent is always paid on time. But during covid when cinema halls were closed for long periods, employees’ salary, machine maintenance, fixed electricity bills etc. were paid even though no revenue was collected. Debashish Saha faced huge financial debt. He was under treatment at GB Hospital after suffering a sudden brain stroke. Later, when the cinema hall opened again, the hall was opened by borrowing. But the Society of City Centers allegedly imposed fares during the Covid period. Then the rent was demanded to be waived.
But as the demand was not met, he started paying that money slowly. In addition, rent hikes and billed exclusive of all taxes instead of inclusive of all taxes by fear of retenders which is totally illegal. In this situation when asked to pay the revised bill surprisingly they served notice of eviction and called for tender. Repeatedly they requested through letters that Halti be given to him again. Conditions are imposed on the tenders so that the middle class does not get a chance to participate. Then he resorted to the law. The judge ordered no action against Debashish Saha till August 1. But in complete disobedience of the court’s directives, a letter was issued on July 27 and ordered to vacate the hall on July 31. And manager Pinku Bhattacharjee brought a representative of a local cinema hall inside the cinema hall for the handover. Last August 1, the judge maintained the previous order and fixed August 21 for the next hearing. After starting the business, Agartala Municipal Corporation Commissioner Shailesh Kumar Yadav locked the hall along with the valuables without giving any letter inhumanely and illegally that night. Later, when he requested the corporation commissioner, he allegedly threatened to arrest Debashish Saha. Debashish Saha also alleged that the commissioner threw him out of the hall after misbehaving. And hang the lock in the hall with the staff. Meanwhile, the corporation commissioner issued a statement this afternoon saying that on October 30, 2015, the lease agreement was extended from January 1 to December 31, 2019.
Debashish Saha through a letter dated 17 January 2019 was given a five percent increase in rent. The lease agreement is from January 1, 2020 to December 2021. In 2019, the increase was increased by 5 percent every year from January. But Debashish Saha never paid the extra rent. But he spread false information through press conference on Sunday. In the statement, he also said that Debashish Saha has not paid the rent in three months. The e-tender for the hall was released on 3 April 2023. Two bidders then participated. But Debashish Saha did not participate in that tender. On August 6, SSR Cinemas Pvt. was announced as the winning bidder.
