KOLKATA: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday arrested Shantanu Sinha Biswas, a Deputy Commissioner of the Kolkata Police, in connection with a high-profile fraud and extortion case. The senior police official was taken into custody after a marathon session of questioning that lasted several hours at the agency’s regional office.
The central agency revealed that Biswas was being investigated for his alleged involvement in land grabbing, extortion, and financial irregularities. These activities are reportedly linked to an organized network operated by a known criminal, Biswajit Poddar, popularly known as Sona Pappu.
According to ED officials, the Deputy Commissioner was non-cooperative during the interrogation. Investigators stated that Biswas repeatedly avoided giving direct answers to specific queries regarding his financial dealings. “Based on the material collected and his conduct during questioning, he was placed under arrest,” a news agency quoted an official as saying.
Biswas, who is currently posted in the Security Control division of the Kolkata Police, had previously skipped several summons issued by the agency. His persistent absence led the ED to issue a lookout circular against him to prevent him from leaving the country. He finally appeared before the agency on Thursday after failing to join the probe on multiple occasions.
The investigation is also focusing on the officer’s connection with businessman Joy Kamdar. Kamdar, who is already under the scanner and considered a close associate of Sona Pappu, is believed to be a key link in the fraud case. The ED is probing how the police official’s influence may have been used to facilitate the network’s illegal operations.
During the questioning, ED officials confronted Biswas with several WhatsApp chats recovered from digital devices during the investigation. These chats reportedly suggest a deep-rooted conspiracy and a complex financial trail. The agency maintains that his custodial interrogation is essential to uncover the full extent of the money laundering and the larger conspiracy involving the Sona Pappu syndicate.
