ED arrests Kolkata DCP Santanu Sinha in alleged extortion case

Kolkata Police Deputy Commissioner Santanu Sinha Biswas was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday in connection with an alleged land-grabbing and extortion racket linked to notorious criminal Biswajit Podder alias ?Sona Pappu? and businessman Jay Kamdar.

Biswas, considered close to former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, appeared before the ED in Kolkata on Thursday after repeatedly evading summons issued by the agency.

According to ED sources, the senior police officer was arrested after investigators found him ?suppressing facts? and allegedly not cooperating during questioning.

Officials said the ED had earlier issued multiple summonses to Biswas, but he failed to appear before the agency. After fresh notices were also ignored, the probe agency on Wednesday approached the Directorate of Security seeking information on his whereabouts.

The ED suspects that Biswas was



allegedly involved in running an extortion syndicate with the help of ?Sona Pappu? and Jay Kamdar, the managing director of Sun Enterprise. Kamdar was earlier arrested by the agency in connection with a financial irregularities case.

The agency had conducted raids at Biswas?s Ballygunge residence and his Fern Road flat last month as part of its money laundering probe. Searches were also carried out at properties linked to Kamdar in Behala. During the raids, investigators reportedly recovered several incriminating documents.

The current ED probe stems from a Kolkata Police FIR against ?Sona Pappu?, who has been accused in cases related to rioting, attempt to murder, criminal conspiracy, extortion and violations under the Arms Act.

According to investigators, Podder and his associates allegedly operated an organised criminal syndicate involved in extortion and other illegal activities, generating large proceeds of crime through the network.