look news india
In West Bengal, the central investigating agency Enforcement Directorate (ED) has launched an all-out raid against a major extortion and land-grabbing racket in the early hours of Friday. Just a day after the arrest of former Kolkata Police DCP Shantanu Sinha Biswas, multiple ED teams have launched simultaneous raids across the state. The strings of this entire racket are said to be linked to the infamous ‘Sona Pappu’ network and many influential officials. Since this action started at 6 am on Friday, there has been a stir in the administrative and business corridors of Bengal.
Raids were conducted simultaneously at 6 in the morning, police officers and businessmen came on radar
With complete planning, ED officials knocked simultaneously at several places in Kolkata and Murshidabad at around 6 am on Friday morning. In this raid, which started amidst tight security of Central Security Forces (Central Paramilitary Forces), the target of the investigating agency is the officers of the police department, big businessmen and their associated places.
The search operation is being conducted at three main places in Chakraberia, Royd Street and Kasba areas of Kolkata:
-
Chakraberia: Here ED officials are present at the residence of big businessman Atul Kataria and are going through his financial documents.
-
Royd Street: The ED team has raided a famous hotel located in this area, which is said to be related to this racket.
-
town: The ED team is also searching the house of a current sub-inspector of Kolkata Police, which has created panic in the police department.
Team reached former DCP’s house in Murshidabad, arrested after 10 hours of interrogation
Apart from Kolkata, another ED team has reached Kandi in Murshidabad. There, intensive raids are being conducted at the ancestral residence of former Deputy Commissioner (DCP) of Kolkata Police, Shantanu Sinha Biswas.
It is noteworthy that after a long hide and seek, ED had arrested former DCP Shantanu Sinha Biswas on Thursday itself. Vishwas, currently posted in the Security Control Department of Kolkata Police, was detained after being interrogated for more than 10 hours at the CGO Complex (ED Office) in Salt Lake. According to officials, Biswas had avoided the ED summons several times citing government commitments, after which the agency had to issue a Lookout Circular (LOC) against him.
‘Sona Pappu’ network and WhatsApp chat revealed secrets
According to a senior ED official, “Shantanu Sinha Biswas was being interrogated over large-scale land grab, extortion from businessmen and financial irregularities worth crores of rupees through the ‘Sona Pappu’ network. However, during questioning, he repeatedly avoided giving direct answers and did not cooperate at all in the investigation.”
The investigators have got some such concrete WhatsApp chats, which testify to the involvement of the former DCP in the crime. When these chats were placed before Vishwas during interrogation, he could not give any satisfactory answer. Apart from this, the investigating agency is also linking his alleged links with businessman Jai Kamdar, who is considered very close to ‘Sona Pappu’ and the main pawn of this syndicate. Let us tell you that Shantanu Sinha Vishwas, who has been the officer in charge (OC) of Kalighat police station, has been under the scanner of many controversies and investigations in the past also.