Local

Durgapur Lions Club's 'Deadlock status', Allegation of FIR filed by concealing information.

• By MONAJ SINGHA, DURGAPUR
• October 08, 2026
• 1394

On 6thSeptember 2026, a press conference was held at the City Center, the heart of Durgapur Industrial Area, by several former presidents of Durgapur Lions Club and members of Durgapur Lions Club. It was informed that for now, all the activities of Durgapur Lions Club (30995) have been placed under 'Status Quo' (i.e., status quo) by the International Lions Club from 4th September 2026 to 30th September 2026. Attempts are being made to find out , what is the main reason behind the 'Deadlock status' of Durgapur Lions Club?

Allegation are made that, the struggle for power going on, tarnishing the reputation, tradition, and glorious path of club for 50 years?

Channel 'Eai Banglai' on its own initiative started an investigation by contacting several members of Durgapur Lions Club living in Durgapur industrial area. From the investigation of Channel 'Eai Banglai', it is known that Durgapur Lions Club (30995) got approval (charter) from the International Lions Club in 1975.  At that time, there were more or less 42 members in this Durgapur Lions Club. Durgapur Lions Club now have around more or less 140 members. But suddenly on 11/09/2000, a new trust was created with some of the then members and it was named 'Durgapur Lions Club Welfare Trust'. Recently, the main reason for the turmoil and controversy between 'Durgapur Lions Club' and 'Durgapur Lions Club Welfare Trust' came to light, centered on a 15 katha land purchased a couple of years ago.

Durgapur Lions Club, on 31/7/1990, received approval for a lease of land within Durgapur steel township for 33 (thirty-three) years from the Durgapur Steel Plant Authority. It is known that the land area was more or less approximately 0.25 acres. On 30/07/2023, the Durgapur Steel Plant Authority issue notice to the Durgapur Lions Club Management Committee informing them that after the expiry of the 33-year lease period, they would have to renew it again. It is known from sources that the Durgapur Steel Plant had verified the current land price of the thirty-three-year leased land and asked the Durgapur Lions Club Authority to deposit an amount of money as a fee. But it is known from sources that the Durgapur Lions Club Management Committee has not yet given any money or information to the Durgapur Steel Plant Authority for the renewal of the land lease. In other words, it is known that the Durgapur Lions Club authorities do not currently have any valid legal documents for the land provided by the Durgapur Steel Plant on which the Durgapur Lions Club and its hospital building are located.  

On the other hand, a couple of years ago, some key members of the Durgapur Lions Club Management Committee allegedly spent about 56 lakh to buy 15 kata of land in the Durgapur adjecent area to build a residential old age home. The land was directly purchesed in the name of Durgapur Lions Club, not in the name of Durgapur Lions Club Welfare Trust. Some members alleged that since then, there has been a dispute between the members of the two organizations. It is worth mentioning that the internal board resolution of the club that was passed while purchasing the land was signed by several members of the Lions Club of Durgapur Welfare Trust, according to sources. 

But suddenly, on September 27, 2026, a person named Sumer Chand Sharma, presenting himself as the president and seal of the Lions Club of Durgapur, filed a complaint with the Officer-in-charge of Faridpur Police Station, a police station adjacent to the Durgapur Industrial Area, and requested that an FIR be filed against five members of that club. 

The complaint letter stated, "In the year 2024-25, during the last phase of the tenure of the then President Himal Dutt of the Lions Club of Durgapur, and just 7-8 days before the expiry of his term, he, along with four other then office bearers of the club, Ranjit Chowdhury (Secretary), Ashish Ghosh (Treasurer), Biplob Chatterjee (Ex-Previous President) and Anup Majumdar (Ex-President), jointly purchased a piece of land on 23 June 2025 using the club's funds on behalf of the club for a cost of approximately Rs. 56,33,558. This purchase was never properly presented to the Board of Directors for financial approval along with any proper plan or detailed project report. In fact, when the proposal was raised in the Board meeting, it was not duly approved by the Board. These five persons did so without any approval of the Board or the general members, without forming any committee for this purpose and without any authority to act on behalf of the club. The land was purchased at a price much higher than its actual value. Later, the government-approved valuation showed that the fair market value of the land was only Rs. 11,14,000, whereas the cost was shown as Rs. 56,33,558 leaving a huge and disproportionate difference. The land is low-lying and marshy and unsuitable for any kind of construction. It is located about 15 km from the base hospital in a rural area and there is no proper road network to reach. In addition, a 33,000 volt high-voltage power transmission line passes directly over the land, under which it is prohibited by law to construct any permanent structure. Before purchasing the land, no other member of the general assembly or the board except these five persons ever visited the site. The land was handed over to the club several months after the sale deed was executed and the above-mentioned five persons did not give any proper explanation for this delay.” 

"The person named Sumer Chand Sharma, bearing the seal and identification of the President of the Lions Club of Durgapur, requests that in the light of the above facts and circumstances, this police station treat this complaint as a 'First Information Report' (FIR), and an FIR be registered against the five accused persons mentioned above. The matter should be thoroughly investigated, and appropriate legal action must be taken against them as per law, which will include steps to recover approximately Rs. 56,33,558/- embezzled by the club, and any other necessary orders, if deemed fit in the interest of justice."   
 
The Board Policy of Lions Clubs International is a process for temporarily suspending the charter, rights, privileges, and responsibilities of a Lions club when the status quo of its manual is in effect. The Executive Director, acting on behalf of the International Board of Directors, and the departments designated by him, have the authority to place or release a Lions club from status quo. The purpose of status quo is to suspend the operations of a club that is not properly fulfilling the responsibilities of a chartered club. This action remains in effect until the cause of the status quo is resolved or the club is revoked.

As per the Sub-section 1 of Section 'C' of Chapter 5 of the Board Policy Manual of the International Lions Club, all the activities of Durgapur Lions Club (30995) were placed under 'Status Quo' (i.e., condition or status quo) on 4th September 2026. During this suspension, the club will not be able to conduct the following activities.

(1) Conducting service activities 

(2) Conducting fundraising activities

(3) Participate in any district, multiple district or international level event or seminar

(4) Participating in any voting process outside the club

(5) Endorsing or nominating a candidate for any position at the district, multiple district, and international levels

(6) Submitting membership or service activity reports through formal procedures (e.g., submitting monthly membership reports and other reporting forms)

(7) Sponsoring a Lions Club or forming a Leo Club.

Naturally, the question arises, how can person named Sumer Chand Sharma file an FIR or complaint against five members of the club with a police officer during the 'status quo' using the seal and identity of the president of the Durgapur Lions Club ?

The question Also arises, 'How or under what circumstances, through whose mediation or influenced the officer-in-charge of Faridpur Police Station are forced to file the said FIR ?'

It is worth noting that the International Board of Directors has decided that "taking legal action to resolve the internal affairs of the Lions Club will be considered as a dishonorable conduct of a Lion. No member can file a legal case to resolve the internal affairs of the Lions Club." Earlier, an order was issued in October 2021 to remove the name of Lion Shankar Gupta from the list of lifelong membership of the Lions Club for filing a lawsuit against the Durgapur Lions Club, allegedly in violation of the approval and rules of the International Lions Club. And at that time, the said person was dismissed from the Durgapur Lions Club within just 24 hours, according to sources.

Naturally, the question arises, will the International Lions Club take the same action against the person named Sumer Chand Sharma for violating the International Lions Club's own rules and using the seal and identity of the president of the Durgapur Lions Club during the 'Status Quo' period to file a legal case about the club's internal affairs ?