Trinamool Congress leader and Nadia Zilla Parishad member Tina Bhowmik Saha and her husband have gone missing, police said on Wednesday, 25 June, a day after officers recovered more than 3 kilograms of gold jewellery worth over ₹4.39 crore from their residence in Tehatta, Nadia district. The disappearance has deepened a widening corruption probe linked to arrested former Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation Mayor Sabyasachi Dutta.

The Search and What Was Found

Acting on leads obtained during the interrogation of Sabyasachi Dutta, Bidhannagar police launched an overnight search at Tina Bhowmik Saha's Tehatta home late on Monday. The operation, which ran through Wednesday evening, yielded gold jewellery with a market value of ₹4.39 crore. Officers also searched the residences of her parents and in-laws during the course of the operation. All recovered items have been confiscated and an investigation has been initiated.

The Couple's Disappearance

When police arrived, neither Tina Bhowmik Saha nor her husband was present. Her elderly mother-in-law told officers that the couple had left together for work on Monday and that she had not heard from either of them since. Neighbours confirmed seeing the two drive away in their own car. Investigators have since begun a formal search for the couple. Officers of Bidhannagar South Police Station have also summoned them for questioning. Authorities suspect the pair may have received advance information about the search operation and chosen not to return.

The Sabyasachi Dutta Connection

Sabyasachi Dutta, described as a once-influential figure within the Trinamool Congress (TMC), was arrested earlier this month by Bidhannagar South Police Station officers on multiple charges including extortion and accumulation of illegal assets. He had contested the recently concluded Assembly elections from Barasat but failed to win, and was sent to judicial custody shortly after his arrest. Investigators probing the sources of his alleged illegal wealth found that he had primarily channelled money into gold — purchased through extortion proceeds and black money. Purchase receipts were recovered from his flat in Rajarhat as well as from a bank locker, along with a substantial quantity of gold jewellery.

A Wider Network Under Scrutiny

Investigators say the probe has revealed that Sabyasachi Dutta allegedly used his political influence not only to enrich himself but also to facilitate gold purchases for close associates. Tina Bhowmik Saha, identified as one such associate, is now at the centre of that inquiry. This comes amid a broader pattern of enforcement action against TMC-linked figures in West Bengal, with multiple cases in recent months involving allegations of extortion, benami assets, and political patronage networks.

What Happens Next

Police have intensified the search for the missing couple and are expected to pursue legal options if they do not appear for questioning. The Bidhannagar probe into Sabyasachi Dutta's alleged network is ongoing, and investigators have not ruled out further searches at other locations linked to the case.