The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Tuesday launched coordinated searches at multiple locations in Kolkata and Salt Lake as part of its investigation into the Trinamool Congress' bank account case. The raids are being carried out at five premises, including the residence of a businessman who owns a chartered aviation company that has reportedly provided aircraft services to several VVIPs.
"The searches are being conducted as part of the ongoing investigation into the Trinamool Congress bank account case," ED officials said, according to sources familiar with the operation.
The searches began early Tuesday morning at an address near Lalbazar in central Kolkata and extended to multiple locations, including a residence in Salt Lake's CG Block. The businessman whose premises are being searched owns several companies, including Carewell Aviation, a chartered aircraft service provider.
According to sources, the aviation company had previously provided chartered flight services to several high-profile political figures, including Trinamool Congress national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee. However, the ED has not officially stated whether those services are directly linked to the ongoing investigation.
The case stems from a dispute over Trinamool Congress' bank accounts following internal developments within the party after the Assembly election. Former party treasurer Arup Biswas had reportedly sought the freezing of the party's bank accounts, citing internal organisational issues. In his communication to the bank, he is said to have identified himself as the party's treasurer.
Subsequently, on June 18, a legislator from South 24 Parganas lodged a complaint with the Bidhannagar Cyber Police Station alleging that proceeds of a major cyber fraud had been routed through several bank accounts, with some accounts allegedly suspected to be linked to the Trinamool Congress.
"The complaint alleged that funds from a large-scale cyber fraud may have been transferred through multiple bank accounts, including some suspected to be associated with the Trinamool Congress," police sources said.
Based on the complaint, police registered an FIR and instructed banks the following day to freeze debit transactions from three accounts. The Enforcement Directorate later initiated a parallel probe into the matter under its jurisdiction.
Tuesday's searches, including those at the chartered aviation firm's owner's residence, are understood to be part of that investigation.
The development also comes against the backdrop of recent political controversy within the Trinamool Congress over the use of chartered aircraft by senior leaders during the previous government. The issue had sparked public exchanges between rival factions within the party, even before the ED initiated its latest round of searches.
The Enforcement Directorate has not yet issued an official statement on the outcome of the raids, and the searches were continuing at the time of publication.
