Kolkata, May 22 (IANS) The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has been conducting raids and search operations at various sites in Kolkata since Friday morning in connection with several cases of money laundering linked to land syndicates, which involve the former Deputy Commissioner of Kolkata Police and the infamous local land mafia figure, Biswajit Poddar, also known as Sona Pappu.

Both Sinha Biswas and Pappu are currently in ED custody after being arrested by the central investigating agency officials earlier this month in connection with the same cases.

Besides conducting raids at multiple locations in Kolkata, raids and search operations are also happening at a palatial mansion owned by Sinha Biswas in Kandi in Murshidabad district.

ED raid and search operations started this morning as investigating officials reached the house of a businessman at Chakraberia in the Bhabanipur area in South Kolkata and started conducting a raid and search.

Soon after that, another team of ED officials reached a hotel on Royd Street in Central Kolkata. The investigating officials first spoke to the hotel manager and then started conducting a raid and search operations there.

Sources aware of the development said the hotel owner has been asked to appear at the hotel at the earliest for interrogation purposes.

A third team of ED officials reached the residence of a police officer in Kasba in South Kolkata and conducted a raid and search operation there as well. The said police officer is learnt to be a close confidant of Sinha Biswas.

“The names of the businessman, the hotel owner and the police officer concerned in connection with these money laundering-cum-land -linked syndicate cases surfaced in the course of interrogation of Sinha Biswas and Sona Pappu by the investigating official. Now the raids and search operations are being conducted to track corroborating evidence in this connection,” said a source.

Meanwhile, a fourth team of ED officials arrived at the mansion of Sinha Biswas at Kandi in Murshidabad district and also started conducting raids and search operations there.

This house at ward number eight of Kandi Municipality is said to be the ancestral house of Sinha Biswas. His sister, Gauri Biswas, who is the vice-chairman of the Trinamool Congress-run Kandi municipality, used to stay in this mansion.

However, locals said that this house was under lock and key since Sinha Biswas was arrested earlier this month. On Friday morning, the ED officials had to break open the lock at the main gate of the mansion to enter. Raid and search are on there.

–IANS

src/dpb