The Enforcement Directorate Friday carried out fresh raids across multiple locations in West Bengal in connection with a money laundering case involving alleged criminal Biswajit Poddar alias Sona Pappu and arrested Kolkata police officer Shantanu Sinha Biswas.
According to ED sources, raids are currently underway at three separate locations in Kasba, Chakraberia, and Royd Street. Simultaneously, another search operation has begun at the palatial house of Shantanu Biswas, a former deputy commissioner (DC) of Kolkata police, in Kandi, Murshidabad.
On May 18, ED had arrested Sona Pappu alias Biswajit Poddar, a real estate developer in Kolkata, following raids at his residence and multiple locations linked to him, and reportedly seized over Rs 2 crore in cash, property documents and a handgun.
“ED is conducting searches at 9 premises linked to the case of Sona Pappu and Santanu Sinha Biswas in Kolkata and Murshidabad. The premises covered include those of Mohammed Ali alias Max Raju, Saurav Adhikari, the nephew of Shantanu Sinha Biswas, and the Murshidabad premises of Biswas. The searches are being conducted in pursuance of the findings unearthed during the custodial interrogation of the accused and other persons,” read a statement by ED.
Officials have also searched the premises of Ruhil Amin Ali, a sub-inspector with Kolkata Police who is a close associate of Biswas, and the residence of a businessman in Chakraberia. Sources in the central investigative agency said that the businessman is a close associate of Sona Pappu.
ED officials arrived at Biswas’s residence in Kandi early Friday morning. As the doors were locked from the inside, investigators waited outside for nearly two and a half hours with no response. Later, they broke the gate lock and began the search. Investigators are currently scrutinising various documents and questioning members of Biswas’s family.
Biswas, a former Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Kalighat Police Station, is originally a resident of Kandi municipality in Murshidabad district. His sister, Gouri Sinha Biswas, is the vice-chairperson of the TMC-run municipality. Following Biswas’ arrest by the ED, his palatial residence has sparked widespread curiosity, as residents claim his original family home was dilapidated, but the former deputy commissioner constructed the current palatial house in just five to six years.
On Monday, following a gruelling nine-hour interrogation, the ED arrested Sona Pappu, from Kasba. In court, the ED alleged that Sona Pappu used intimidation tactics to acquire others’ land and property at throwaway prices.
The ED further stated that he did not operate alone, disclosing the names of a few members of a syndicate. They claimed that Pappu operated on behalf of Jay Kamdar, a businessman from Behala, and Shantanu, the Kolkata police officer, playing a pivotal role in this land syndicate.
While the ED moved a prayer seeking a 10-day custody of Pappu, the defence counsel filed a bail petition for the arrested Kasba businessman. Rejecting the bail plea, the court remanded Sona Pappu to ED custody until May 28.