The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Sunday carried out searches at the residence of Deputy Commissioner (Special Branch), Kolkata Police, Shantanu Sinha Biswas, and later arrested Kolkata-based businessman Joy Kamdar in connection with the money laundering probe in a land grabbing case, officials said.
Early Sunday morning, the ED began searches at three different locations – the Ballygunj residence of Biswas, another residential building close to his residence, and the Behala residence of Kamdar.
While Kamdar was arrested, sources said that Biswas was being questioned.
Following his arrest, Kamdar complained of chest pain and was admitted to the state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.
After the ED informed the court about its inability to produce Kamadar physically, the court sought a report on his health condition and ordered the central agency to produce him on Monday if he was in a position to be brought to the court. “The ED authority shall not make endeavour to interrogate the accused person without leave of the court at the cost of health hazards,” the court ordered.
Kamdar had been summoned by the ED twice earlier, but he did not appear.
The ED is investigating a housing scam, focusing on allegations of land grabbing, illegal construction, and extortion. It is alleged that Biswajit Poddar, alias Sona Pappu, and his associates ran an extortion racket under the guise of real estate promotion, and that the money collected was funneled to several influential individuals.
According to the ED, the Sunday’s searches at the Deputy Police Commissioner’s house and the arrest of Kamdar followed the searches on April 1 at places linked to Sona Pappu . The ED had then seized cash of Rs 1.47 crore, apart from gold jewellery and silver valued at Rs 67.64 lakh and a country-made revolver from some premises that were searched.
Kolkata: Reacting to the ED carrying out searches at the residence of one of the top cops in Kolkata, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Sunday evening said that she is “keeping a record of everything”.
Speaking at an election rally in Tarakeswar, the TMC supremo said, “The ED has raided the house of the person who does my income tax; then TMC candidate Debashish Kumar, who was not allowed to campaign as they raided his house for 16 hours. We are keeping a record of everything…”
“Now, they are raiding the house of the person who takes care of my security. Does that mean that they want to kill me? If by killing me, they think they can win West Bengal, they can try that also. During the CPI(M) reign, they tried to murder me several times, and now all those from the CPI(M) have joined them,” the chief minister said, referring to the ED raid on Deputy Police Commissioner Shantanu Sinha Biswas’s residence.
On Friday, the Income Tax Department had conducted marathon searches at the residence of TMC heavy weight candidate Debasish Kumar and in four other places related to him for alleged Income Tax discrepancy. Kumar had previously been summoned twice by the ED in the land-grabbing case.
According to ED sources, they found evidence of Sona Pappu being in touch with businessmen who illegally sold disputed land using fake documents. “We are trying to find where the money trail is going, and how many such companies are operating and how they are getting information about the disputed land and who all are involved,” said an ED official.
Pappu’s name had recently surfaced in connection with a clash between two groups in Kakulia. He had been in and out of jail ever since he joined the construction business in 2010-11. Even though he was released on bail, police said that he faces at least 15 charges, including murder attempt, rape, and multiple charges under the Arms Act. He is still absconding.
“While sifting through the bank transactions of Pappu, we found several financial transactions, including some in the account of Deputy Police Commissioner Biswas. Which is why we are questioning him,” said an ED official.
In March this year, the ED had summoned Biswas for questioning in connection with the coal scam case.
He was asked to appear before the ED officials in New Delhi on April 6. A few years ago, Biswas was questioned by ED officials in New Delhi while he was serving as the OC of Kalighat police station in the rank of Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP).