ED raids 4 locations in West Bengal in infiltration, terror funding probe
Synopsis
The ED has fanned out across four border-adjacent West Bengal districts in a sweeping PMLA crackdown on a network allegedly arranging illegal entry and settlement of Bangladeshi and Rohingya nationals — and funding terror in the process. With voluntary organisations, a trust, a madrasa, and a businessman's accounts all in the frame, this is one of the agency's most expansive border-crime operations in the state.
Key Takeaways
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) raided 4 locations across West Bengal on 16 July under the PMLA, 2002 .
Districts covered: Kolkata , North 24 Parganas , South 24 Parganas , and Murshidabad — three of which border Bangladesh .
The probe targets an organised network allegedly facilitating illegal Bangladeshi and Rohingya settlement and terror funding .
Several West Bengal-based voluntary organisations are under investigation for allegedly using innocent people's bank accounts for illegal transactions.
A trust , an educational institution , and a madrasa linked to businessman Abdus Samad were searched in Haroa, Basirhat following detection of large foreign-currency transactions .
The crackdown is part of a nationwide operation also covering Uttar Pradesh , Delhi , and Haryana .
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday, 16 July conducted raids and search operations at four locations across four districts in West Bengal under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, targeting an organised network allegedly involved in facilitating illegal entry and settlement of Bangladeshi and Rohingya infiltrators in the state, as well as terror funding.
Districts Under the Scanner
The ED's operations, which were continuing since Thursday morning, spanned Kolkata, North 24 Parganas, South 24 Parganas, and Murshidabad. Notably, the last three districts share international borders with neighbouring Bangladesh, with South 24 Parganas also having a maritime and riverine boundary. Murshidabad has a significant minority population and has previously drawn scrutiny in border-related probes.
Part of a Nationwide Crackdown
According to sources aware of the development, the West Bengal operations are part of a coordinated, nationwide crackdown launched on the same day, covering other states including Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, and Haryana. The ED is reportedly tracking financial transactions worth crores of rupees linked to these rackets, as well as the networks responsible for producing fake Indian identity documents for illegal settlers.
Voluntary Organisations in the Crosshairs
Sources indicate the agency is investigating a number of voluntary organisations — the majority of them West Bengal-based — allegedly operating under the cover of welfare activities near the India-Bangladesh border. The ED's probe focuses on how these entities allegedly used innocent individuals' bank accounts to route illegal transactions and generated crores of rupees in the process.
Key Target: Haroa in North 24 Parganas
One of the four locations raided is in the Haroa area under the Basirhat subdivision of North 24 Parganas, where simultaneous searches were carried out at a trust, an educational institution, and a madrasa — all linked to businessman Abdus Samad. The action against Samad was triggered by the detection of large foreign-currency transactions in bank accounts associated with him, according to officials.
What Comes Next
The ED's investigation is at an active stage, with agency officials expected to record statements and seize documents and digital devices. As the probe widens to include multiple states, further arrests or summons to key individuals cannot be ruled out. The case could have significant political ramifications in West Bengal, where illegal immigration and border security have long been contentious issues.
Point of View
It would represent a systematic misuse of civil-society cover for criminal ends. West Bengal's political establishment will face pressure to respond, given that illegal immigration has been a fault line between the state government and the Centre for years. The real test is whether the financial trail the ED claims to have identified leads to prosecutable cases, or whether — as has happened in past high-profile raids — the evidentiary chain proves harder to sustain in court.
NationPress
16 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did the ED raid locations in West Bengal on 16 July?
The ED conducted raids under the PMLA, 2002, as part of a probe into an organised network allegedly facilitating illegal entry and settlement of Bangladeshi and Rohingya nationals in West Bengal, as well as terror funding. The agency is tracking financial transactions worth crores of rupees linked to the racket.
Which districts in West Bengal were covered in the ED raids?
The four districts covered were Kolkata, North 24 Parganas, South 24 Parganas, and Murshidabad. The last three share international borders with Bangladesh, and South 24 Parganas also has a maritime and riverine boundary with the neighbouring country.
Who is Abdus Samad and why was he targeted?
Abdus Samad is a businessman whose linked trust, educational institution, and madrasa in Haroa, Basirhat were searched by the ED. The action followed the detection of large foreign-currency transactions in bank accounts associated with him, according to officials.
Are voluntary organisations being investigated in this case?
Yes, according to sources, the ED is probing several voluntary organisations — mostly based in West Bengal — suspected of running illegal infiltration and settlement rackets under the guise of welfare activities near the India-Bangladesh border. They are also alleged to have used bank accounts of innocent individuals for illegal transactions.
Is this a West Bengal-specific operation or part of a wider crackdown?
It is part of a nationwide crackdown launched on the same day, with simultaneous operations also conducted in Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, and Haryana, according to sources aware of the development.
