West Bengal Police on Saturday, 22 August raided the in-laws' residence of Prabir Das — an arrested associate of absconding stone quarry owner Tulu Mondal — in Berhampore, Murshidabad district, as part of an expanding corruption probe linked to the previous All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) government era. After a search lasting nearly three hours, investigators emerged with a black bag whose contents have not been officially disclosed, fuelling widespread speculation.

Background: Who Is Prabir Das

Prabir Das was employed as a clerk at the Mohammadbazar Land and Land Reforms Department in Birbhum district. Investigators allege he abused his official position to collect substantial daily commissions from Tulu Mondal, a Birbhum-based stone quarry operator accused of large-scale corruption. Police say they uncovered evidence of illegal financial transactions, leading to Prabir's arrest; he is currently in judicial custody.

What the Raid Aimed to Uncover

The Birbhum district police accompanied Prabir to his in-laws' house in the Indraprastha locality under Berhampore police station jurisdiction. According to sources, investigators suspect that a significant portion of alleged illegal earnings — reportedly running into crores — may have been stashed at the property or held in the names of relatives. Police sources confirmed that the seized black bag contained several important documents, though specifics were not disclosed. Investigators believe these documents could shed further light on Tulu Mondal's financial network.

Tulu Mondal: Absconding and Under Red Corner Notice

Tulu Mondal remains at large despite multiple arrests in the case, including those of his relatives, manager, and close associates. He had approached the Calcutta High Court seeking protection during the investigation, but the plea filed by his lawyer Dushyant Dave was dismissed by a bench led by Justice Saugata Bhattacharyya, which declined to interfere in the police probe. A Red Corner notice has since been issued against him.

Scale of the Alleged Corruption

The scale of the alleged financial misconduct has come into sharp focus in recent weeks. Police recently recovered ₹28.5 crore in cash and approximately 15 kg of gold from the residence of Tulu's relative Minar Mondal in Deucha village under Mohammadbazar police station in Birbhum. That discovery prompted investigators to widen the scope of raids across multiple addresses linked to Tulu and his associates. This is the latest in a series of actions as the probe intensifies.

What Comes Next

With the Calcutta High Court refusing to shield Tulu from the investigation and a Red Corner notice active, authorities are expected to pursue leads from the seized documents to map the full extent of the alleged financial empire. The widening net of arrests and raids signals that investigators believe the network extends well beyond Birbhum.