Kolkata: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has again summoned Kolkata Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Shantanu Sinha Biswas for questioning in the Sona Papu-linked syndicate case, a day before the second and final phase of voting in the state.
The DCP has been asked to appear at the CGO Complex on Tuesday. According to ED officials, he has been summoned as part of its investigation into a money laundering case against an alleged criminal-linked syndicate run by Sona Pappu alias Biswajit Poddar.
Sona Pappu, a resident of Ballygunge in South Kolkata, faces various charges, including land grabbing and extortion. There is also a case against him under the Arms Act.
The ED started the investigation in the wake of several such allegations.
The Central Investigation Agency officials have already arrested businessman Joy Kamdar in that case. Based on the information in this case, the ED raided Shantanu Biswas’s house on Fern Road this month. He has not been seen in public since the search operation started.
The day after the search, the ED summoned Shantanu Biswas and his two sons, Sayantan and Manish, to the CGO complex in the Sona Pappu case. But none of them went to the ED office that day.
Last week, the ED summoned Shantanu Biswas, who is also a former Officer-in-Charge of Kalighat police station in Bhabanipur, for the investigation into the sand smuggling case.
However, he did not appear before the ED officers. Instead, his lawyer went to the ED office. According to sources, Shantanu sought time from the central investigation agency due to his busy schedule.
The ED is investigating allegations of financial misappropriation in a case related to sand smuggling. It is learnt that officials of the central investigation agency want to question Shantanu Biswas in that case also.
The second phase of voting will be held in the remaining 142 constituencies on April 29. The counting of votes will be held on May 4.
–IANS
