ED conducts fresh raids in Bengal land-grab case linked to ex-Kolkata Police officer Shantanu Sinha Biswas
The Statesman | 23 May 2026
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday carried out a fresh round of raids across West Bengal in connection with an ongoing money laundering and land-grab investigation involving former Kolkata Police deputy commissioner Shantanu Sinha Biswas and alleged criminal Biswajit Poddar, also known as Sona Pappu.
The Kolkata Police has terminated Biswas after his arrest last week by the central agency.
According to officials, raids were conducted at nine locations across Kolkata and Murshidabad district as part of the probe.
Among the premises searched were those linked to Mohammad Ali, alias Max Raju, Saurav Adhikari — identified as Biswas’ nephew — and Ruhil Amin Ali, a Kolkata Police sub-inspector said to be closely associated with Biswas. Investigators also searched Biswas’ residence in Murshidabad.
The latest action comes days after the ED arrested Poddar on 18 May following a lengthy round of questioning. Biswas was taken into custody last week, while businessman Joy S Kamdar had earlier been arrested by the agency in April in connection with the same investigation.
The ED has previously described Poddar as a habitual offender allegedly involved in several land-grabbing operations across West Bengal. Officials said he and his associates were under scrutiny in multiple criminal cases.
Poddar first came to wider attention in 2015 after his name surfaced in connection with a violent incident at the Ballygunge rail yard. Since then, investigators have linked him to several serious allegations, including a murder case registered in 2017 and an alleged attack on rival Munna Pandey outside Presidency Jail in 2021.
The agency is continuing its investigation into suspected financial irregularities and alleged criminal networks connected to the case.