Kolkata, May 16 (IANS) The West Bengal government had terminated the services of Kolkata Police Deputy Commissioner, Shantanu Sinha Biswas, who was arrested by officials of the Enforcement Directorate (ED).

The action was in connection with a couple of money laundering-cum-land-linked syndicate cases involving a notorious and currently absconding history-sheeter.

Despite attaining the official retirement age of 60, Biswas was retained under extension for two years by the previous Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress government.

However, following his arrest by the ED officers as well as in line with the new BJP government’s decision to terminate the tenures of extended service-holders in the state government, Sinha Biswas’ extended service has been terminated.

However, according to an insider in the state secretariat Nabanna, unlike other extended service-holders, Sinha Biswas was not given the opportunity to tender his resignation and instead his extended service was terminated by the state government.

Before his arrest on Thursday night the ED officials interrogated Sinha Biswas for over 10 hours in connection with a laundering-cum land syndicate case involving history-sheeter, Biswajit Poddar alias Sona Pappu.

Earlier, the ED also issued a lookout notice against Sinha Biswas when he went absconding after receiving several notices for interrogation from the ED.

Meanwhile, sources aware of the development said that 12 other cops of Kolkata, who were close confidants of Sinha Biswas during the latter’s service period, are under the ED scanner for their involvement in the money laundering-cum-land-linked syndicate case in which the former deputy commissioner of the city police had been arrested.

The nexus involving Sona Pappu, another arrested city-based real estate promoter, Joy Kamdar and cops led by Sinha Biswas was involved in illegal grabbing of “disputed land parcels” or “disputed properties” in and around Kolkata at throwaway prices and then using them in lucrative real estate businesses.

The nexus operated through registration of false FIRs at different police stations against the original owners of the “disputed land parcels” or “disputed properties” to put pressure on them to sell those land parcels or properties at throwaway prices to the syndicate.

It is learnt that the 12 other cops attached to the city police, who are currently under the ED scanner in the same case are mainly in the ranks of inspectors of police, while some are inspectors.

–IANS

src/rad