ED attaches assets worth Rs 2.78 crore of ex-Kolkata DCP Santanu Sinha Biswas in a money laundering case

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday said it has provisionally attached immovable properties worth Rs 2.78 crore belonging to former Kolkata DCP Santanu Sinha Biswas, his family members and associates in a money-laundering case linked to history-sheeter Biswajit Poddar alias Sona Pappu.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday said it has attached immovable properties worth Rs 2.78 crore of ex-DCP Kolkata, Santanu Sinha Biswas, and his family members and associates in the case of history-sheeter Biswajit Poddar alias Sona Pappu and others. The attached properties include three flats located in Kolkata and land at Kandi in West Bengal's Murshidabad as Proceeds of Crime under PMLA 2002. The properties were attached under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002.

ED's Kolkata Zonal Office-II provisionally attached immovable properties of Santanu, his family members and associates in the case. ED investigation was initiated based on multiple FIRs registered by West Bengal Police against Sona Pappu and others involving complaints of murder, extortion and land-grabbing.

Earlier, ED had conducted searches at multiple premises on April 1, April 19, April 26 and May 22 in Kolkata and nearby places, including the residential premises of Santanu, Jay S Kamdar, Sona Pappu and others, which led to seizure of cash amounting to Rs 1.64 crore, gold jewellery, one Toyota Fortuner car and one unlicensed Gun (Revolver) along with several incriminating documents and digital devices. Subsequently, ED had also arrested Kamdar, Santanu and Sona Pappu under section 19(1) of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002 in the case, and all three persons are currently under judicial custody.

ED said its investigation has revealed that Proceeds of Crime were generated through illegal activities including extortion, grabbing of real estate properties, unauthorised building construction through entities controlled by  Sona Pappu, Kamdar and associates. Santanu worked as the officer-in-charge of Kalighat police station, and later as the Deputy Commissioner of Police, and during his tenure as officer-in-charge, he developed a close association with Kamdar and assisted him in his illegal activities.

ED said Kamdar enjoyed massive clout within the police establishment through his association with Santanu Sinha Biswas. Santanu Sinha Biswas directly and indirectly acquired, concealed and possessed proceeds of crime to the tune of at least Rs 2.89 crore. "Further investigation has revealed that a deliberate attempt on the part of Santanu Sinha Biswas to distance himself from the assets and financial benefits acquired through his influence by placing such assets in the names of companies, family members and associated persons," said the ED.

In particular, ED added, the two flats at Hossenpur in Kolkata were unearthed to have been purchased in the name of a company despite being acquired at the instance and for the benefit of Santanu, which shows an attempt to conceal the true beneficial ownership and nature of the proceeds of crime. During the investigation in the case, a main Prosecution Complaint was filed on June 17 against Kamdar, the 1st Supplementary Prosecution Complaint was filed on July 10 against Santanu, and the 2nd Supplementary Prosecution Complaint was filed against Sona Pappu on July 17. (ANI)