The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday said its Kolkata Zonal Office-II has provisionally attached immovable properties worth Rs 2.78 crore belonging to former Kolkata Police Deputy Commissioner of Police Santanu Sinha Biswas, his family members and associates in the money-laundering case against Biswajit Podder, alias Sona Pappu, and others. The attached properties include three flats in Kolkata and land at Kandi in Murshidabad district, attached as proceeds of crime under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002.

Source: ANI via Devdiscourse

The ED said its investigation began from multiple FIRs registered by the West Bengal Police against Sona Pappu and his associates involving complaints of murder, extortion and land-grabbing. The agency alleges that proceeds of crime were generated through extortion, grabbing of real-estate properties and unauthorised building construction through entities controlled by Sona Pappu, Jay S. Kamdar and their associates — allegations that remain to be established in court.

Source: IANS via hi INDiA

What the ED alleges about the former DCP

According to the ED, Biswas served as officer-in-charge of Kalighat police station before becoming a Deputy Commissioner of Police, and during his tenure as officer-in-charge he allegedly developed a close association with Kamdar and assisted him in his alleged illegal activities. The agency said Kamdar enjoyed massive clout within the police establishment through his association with Biswas, and that two flats at Hossenpur in Kolkata were found to have been purchased in the name of a company despite being acquired at Biswas's instance and for his benefit — which, the ED said, showed a deliberate attempt to distance himself from assets placed in the names of companies, family members and associated persons.

Earlier in the probe, the ED conducted searches on April 1, April 19, April 26 and May 22 at premises in Kolkata and nearby places, including the residences of Biswas, Kamdar and Sona Pappu, seizing Rs 1.64 crore in cash, gold jewellery, one Toyota Fortuner car and one unlicensed revolver, along with incriminating documents and digital devices. The agency subsequently arrested all three under Section 19(1) of the PMLA, and all three are currently in judicial custody.

Complaints already filed, probe continuing

The ED said a main prosecution complaint was filed on June 17 against Kamdar, a first supplementary prosecution complaint on July 10 against Biswas, and a second supplementary prosecution complaint on July 17 against Sona Pappu. The attachment announced on Thursday is provisional under the PMLA, and the agency's investigation is continuing; further attachments remain possible if additional proceeds of crime are identified, according to reports of the ED statement.