The Enforcement Directorate on Friday conducted fresh searches across multiple locations in West Bengal as part of a money laundering investigation linked to former Kolkata Police DCP Shantanu Sinha Biswas and alleged criminal Biswajit Poddar, alias “Sona Pappu”, officials said.
The searches were carried out at nine locations, including premises in Kolkata’s Kasba, Chakraberia and Royd Street areas, as well as Biswas’ ancestral residence in Kandi town of Murshidabad district.
According to officials, the raids were launched based on information gathered during the interrogation of Biswas and Poddar, both of whom are currently in ED custody.
ED Breaks Open Locked House In Murshidabad
One of the key searches was conducted at Biswas’ ancestral house located in Ward No. 8 of Kandi Municipality in Murshidabad.
The house, reportedly occupied by his sister Gauri Sinha Biswas, had remained locked for nearly a week, officials said.
After waiting outside the premises for around two hours on Friday morning, ED officials broke open the lock and entered the house to conduct searches.
Gauri Sinha Biswas, who serves as the vice-chairperson of the civic body, was reportedly not present during the operation.
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Multiple Associates Under Scanner
Officials said the premises searched also included those linked to Mohammad Ali alias Max Raju, Saurav Adhikari, identified as Biswas’ nephew, and Kolkata Police Sub-Inspector Ruhil Amin Ali, described as a close associate of Biswas.
In Kolkata’s Kasba area, ED officials searched Ali’s residence. Investigators are examining whether the police officer had any involvement in alleged illegal land deals and financial irregularities.
According to the agency, Ali was allegedly associated with business ventures linked to Biswas’ wife.
Searches were also carried out at a hotel in Kolkata’s Royd Street area, where investigators questioned the manager and summoned the owner for further questioning.
In Chakraberia, ED sleuths raided the residence of a businessman believed to be close to Poddar and are probing his alleged role in forcible land acquisition and illegal monetary transactions.
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Probe Focused On Land Deals, Financial Network
“Several premises linked to persons who have allegedly facilitated illegal land transactions and financial dealings are being searched. Documents, digital devices and financial records are under examination,” an ED official said.
Investigators are probing alleged extortion activities, illegal land transactions and a wider financial network suspected to be linked to police officers and other associates.
Biswajit Poddar, alias Sona Pappu, was arrested by the ED on May 18 after questioning, while Biswas was arrested last week. A businessman identified as Joy S Kamdar was also arrested in the case in April.
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The ED had earlier described Poddar as a “history sheeter” allegedly involved in multiple land-grabbing cases in West Bengal.
Officials said Poddar’s name first surfaced prominently in 2015 in connection with a violent clash at the Ballygunge rail yard. Investigators later linked him to several criminal cases, including a murder case registered in 2017 and an alleged attack on rival Munna Pandey outside Presidency Jail in 2021.
The simultaneous raids triggered fresh political and administrative discussions in West Bengal, where investigators continue to examine alleged links between land transactions, extortion networks and financial irregularities.
