The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday, 10 July filed a 114-page supplementary charge sheet against former Kolkata Police Deputy Commissioner Santanu Sinha Biswas in connection with an illegal land-grabbing case estimated at ₹50 crore. The charge sheet also names land mafia operative Biswajit Poddar alias Sona Pappu and real-estate promoter Jay Kamdar, all three of whom are currently in judicial custody.

Key Allegations in the Charge Sheet

According to sources aware of the development, the ED's supplementary charge sheet accuses the trio of conspiring to seize land within and around Kolkata through coercion and official influence. The central agency has alleged that Sinha Biswas misused his authority as a senior police officer to pressure original landowners into selling their properties at below-market prices, facilitating real-estate development by his associates.

Investigators have reportedly established that Sinha Biswas personally gained a financial benefit of approximately ₹3 crore from the scheme. The charge sheet further alleges that Kamdar leveraged his proximity to Sinha Biswas to influence the police administration, with the former officer described as a close confidante of former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

WhatsApp Chats as Key Evidence

ED officers have recovered WhatsApp chat conversations between Kamdar and Sinha Biswas, which reportedly provided investigators with substantial leads. The digital trail is understood to form a central pillar of the prosecution's case, corroborating the alleged coordination between the accused in orchestrating land seizures.

Arrests and Custody Status

Santanu Sinha Biswas was arrested on 14 May by ED officials following a marathon interrogation session. Prior to his arrest, he had reportedly been absconding for an extended period. His two sons were also questioned by the agency for long hours during that phase of the investigation. Sona Pappu and Jay Kamdar were arrested separately in relation to the same case earlier this year, and all three remain in judicial custody.

Parallel Sand Mining Probe

The ED is separately investigating Sinha Biswas for his suspected involvement in a multi-crore illegal sand mining case in West Bengal. The parallel probe broadens the scope of the agency's scrutiny of the former officer, suggesting the land-grabbing case may be one strand of a wider pattern of alleged financial misconduct.

With the supplementary charge sheet now filed, the case moves closer to trial, and the ED's findings are expected to face rigorous legal scrutiny in the coming weeks.