ED arrests DCP Santanu in money laundering case, Sona Pappu link

Kolkata: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) arrested Kolkata Police Special Branch DC Santanu Sinha Biswas on Thursday night after marathon questioning in connection with an ongoing real-estate money laundering probe involving him, absconding fugitive Sona Pappu and realtor Jai S Kamdar.Biswas, who had been evading ED summons, finally appeared at the CGO Complex at 11.05 am on Thursday, accompanied by two lawyers. He declined to speak to the media. After 9 pm, ED officers confirmed his arrest, alleging non-cooperation with the investigation. He will be produced before a Kolkata PMLA court on Friday.Kolkata Police had not issued any statement on the arrest of the serving DCP till the filing of this report.Biswas arrived at the CGO Complex barely 24 hours after the ED wrote to the Director (Security) — a special unit of Bengal Police — seeking details about him.He was first summoned to the ED office on April 28, a day before polling in Kolkata, but failed to appear and sought more time. Soon after, a lookout circular was issued to prevent Biswas from leaving the country. Biswas, a former OC of Kalighat and Hare Street police stations, is considered highly influential within Kolkata Police. He has also been a key organiser of police association events, including the Durga Puja at the Alipore Bodyguard Lines.The ED is probing possible links between Biswas and land-grabbing and extortion cases involving Sona Pappu, a Kasba-Golpark-based man accused in multiple criminal cases. The agency is also reportedly examining Biswas's alleged role in an illegal sand-mining case. Pappu, a South Kolkata resident, faces allegations ranging from land grabbing and extortion to Arms Act violations. The ED launched its probe on the basis of these complaints.After the ED arrested Behala businessman Joy Kamdar on charges of financial fraud in the case, the agency reportedly gathered more information against Biswas, leading to intensified efforts to question him.ED said Biswas had been summoned five times earlier but avoided appearing. Last month, the agency raided his Fern Road residence in an operation that began early in the morning and continued till around 2 am. Biswas did not appear publicly during the raid. The next day, the ED summoned him and his two sons, Sayantan and Manish, to the CGO Complex in connection with the Sona Pappu case.However, the DCP did not appear. Instead, his lawyer visited the ED office."Given his continued non-cooperation, we suspect he may try to evade the probe by going abroad," an officer told TOI. The ED is also probing his links to a sand smuggling case and an alleged NRI quota admission case involving his own relatives.