The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday searched at least nine locations across West Bengal as part of its probe into an alleged property grabbing racket involving a police officer with alleged links to the opposition Trinamool Congress (TMC) and a real estate businessman.
The racket allegedly grabbed prime properties mostly located in south Kolkata at rock-bottom prices. Muscleman Biswajit Poddar alias Sona Babu, former Kolkata Deputy Commissioner of Police Shantanu Sinha Biswas, and real estate tycoon Joy S Kamdar have been arrested in the case.
An ED official said the agency searched nine locations in Kolkata and Murshidabad on Friday pursuant to the findings of custodial interrogation of the accused and others.
The premises searched included the homes of Muhammad Ali alias Max Raju, Sourav Adhikari, Biswas’s nephew, and the home of a police officer in Kandy in Murshidabad district.
Poddar, who allegedly has close ties with several TMC leaders, was arrested on May 18. On April 1, the emergency department searched his home and found a gun and documents related to the property. Poddar remained untraceable and evaded five emergency department summons, claiming his innocence.
Biswas, who was remanded in emergency ward for 14 days, was remanded. He is accused of exploiting his position to grab land and buildings in prime neighborhoods of south Kolkata with the help of Poddar. Kamdar was arrested in April.
A police officer said that Poddar threatened owners of luxury properties in south Kolkata to sell them at low prices. “Biswas and his team took care to suppress complaints and harass complainants. Kamdar struck deals when the victims yielded under pressure,” the officer said.
The ED questioned former TMC MP Debasish Kumar in the case. Pictures of Poddar with Kumar and other TMC leaders surfaced on social media. West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari said Poddar has 24 properties in south Kolkata.
