The Enforcement Directorate asked the West Bengal government’s Director of Securities to ensure that absconding Kolkata Police Deputy Commissioner Santanu Sinha Biswas appears for questioning in money laundering cases. The agency said his presence is important for investigation.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) asked the West Bengal government’s Office of the Director of Securities to direct the absconding Deputy Commissioner of the Kolkata Police, Santanu Sinha Biswas, to appear before the ED’s Investigating Official for questioning in connection with two money laundering cases in which his name has been mentioned.
Alongside this, the ED also requested details of Sinha Biswas’s service records to date.
The ED had previously served multiple notices to Sinha Biswas described as a very close confidant of former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee asking him to report to the ED’s Salt Lake office on the northern outskirts of Kolkata to face questioning in the two money laundering-related cases.
However, the Deputy Commissioner repeatedly failed to appear at the ED office. His family members and close associates have also been unable to provide any information about his location.
Finally, on May 5 one day after the results of the recently concluded West Bengal Assembly elections were announced the ED issued a lookout notice against Sinha Biswas, anticipating that he might attempt to flee the country in light of the Trinamool Congress’s major electoral defeat.
The ED has recently expanded its probe into a high-profile money laundering case involving a network of individuals and shell companies in West Bengal, carrying out raids and searches linked to Sinha Biswas’s residence.
Recently, the ED arrested Kolkata-based businessman Joy Kamdar in connection with the laundering case. Investigations have reportedly revealed Kamdar’s close links with Sinha Biswas.
It is alleged that Kamdar provided costly gifts and favours to several police officers, including Sinha Biswas and members of their families, to build influence within the police department.
This influence, it is alleged, was then misused to file fraudulent complaints against individuals particularly in matters involving disputes over high-value immovable properties.
While Sinha Biswas’s residence was searched last month, he was not present at the time, and he later did not appear before the ED’s Investigating Official for questioning despite repeated summons.
Sinha Biswas has long faced accusations from nearly all opposition parties in the state, including the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), alleging that he acts as a representative/agent of the previous ruling Trinamool Congress while in uniform.
There had been several instances where Sinha Biswas was spotted in police programmes addressing “Mamata Banerjee as Mother” and explaining to the fellow police officers about the necessity of serving the former Chief Minister’s interests.