The Enforcement Directorate on Sunday conducted raids at the premises of Kolkata Police Deputy Commissioner Shantanu Sinha Biswas and another person as part of a money-laundering probe against an alleged criminal and his syndicate in the poll-bound state, officials said.
Two premises linked to Biswas, including his residence in the Ballygunge area, and one location associated with Joy Kamdar, Managing Director of a company named Sun Enterprise, were searched under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
The action is linked to a money-laundering case against an alleged local criminal, Biswajit Podder alias Sona Pappu, who is booked in multiple cases on charges of attempted murder and extortion.
The federal agency had conducted the first round of searches in the case on April 1, seizing Rs 1.47 crore in cash, along with gold jewellery and silver valued at Rs 67.64 lakh, and a country-made revolver from the premises searched.
The probe stems from a Kolkata Police FIR against Podder for his alleged involvement in rioting, attempted murder, criminal conspiracy and violations under the Arms Act.
The accused, including Podder, were engaged in organised criminal syndicate activities in West Bengal and generated funds illegally through such operations, the ED said in a statement on April 9.
Podder is also wanted by the police in a case of violence on Kankulia Road near Golpark in Kolkata and is currently on the run. The ED has issued summons to Podder, but he has so far failed to join the investigation, according to the agency.