Sona Pappu appears before ED in Kolkata syndicate case after months untraceable
Synopsis
Sona Pappu — wanted for months, occasionally surfacing on social media but never found — walked into the ED's Salt Lake office on 18 May. With ₹2 crore seized from his home, a police officer already arrested in the same case, and hawala transfer suspicions on the table, his sudden appearance may be the most consequential moment yet in Kolkata's sprawling syndicate probe.
Key Takeaways
Biswajit Poddar alias Sona Pappu appeared before the ED at CGO Complex, Salt Lake on 18 May after months of being untraceable.
His name is linked to the Rabindra Sarovar clash of February and alleged syndicate control in Kasba and Ballygunge , south Kolkata.
ED raids on his residence in April yielded approximately ₹2 crore in cash, an expensive car, and property documents.
Construction businessman Joy Kamdar and Kolkata Police officer Shantanu Sinha Biswas have already been arrested in the same case.
Investigators suspect funds were routed to Pappu via hawala while he was in hiding; multiple FIRs are registered against him including under the Arms Act .
Biswajit Poddar, widely known as Sona Pappu, walked into the Enforcement Directorate (ED) office at the CGO Complex in Salt Lake, Kolkata on Monday, 18 May, ending months of being untraceable in connection with a sprawling syndicate case. His sudden appearance before investigators came after the agency had conducted raids on his residence and issued repeated summons without success.
Background: What the Case Is About
Pappu's name surfaced in connection with the Rabindra Sarovar clash — a violent confrontation between two groups that broke out in February — and has since become central to the ED's probe into organised syndicate networks operating in south Kolkata. According to the agency, Pappu allegedly controls multiple syndicates across the localities of Kasba and Ballygunge. Allegations against him include extortion, land grabbing, and criminal intimidation. A case under the Arms Act has also been registered against him.
What Was Recovered in Earlier Raids
During a search operation at Pappu's residence last April, ED officials reportedly recovered approximately ₹2 crore in cash. Investigators also seized an expensive car and multiple property documents from the premises. The scale of the seizures reinforced the agency's suspicion of significant undisclosed assets linked to syndicate operations.
What Pappu Said on Arrival
As he entered the ED office, Pappu was asked by reporters whether he feared arrest. He responded: 'I have not done anything wrong.' The brief statement was the first direct communication from him after weeks of going live intermittently on social media — appearances that confirmed he was alive but gave investigators no lead on his whereabouts.
Arrests and Wider Investigation
The ED's probe has already resulted in significant action. Construction business owner Joy Kamdar has been arrested in connection with the same case. In a notable escalation, the agency also raided the Fern Road residence of Kolkata Police officer Shantanu Sinha Biswas last month, subsequently summoning and arresting him in connection with the Pappu investigation. Investigators reportedly believe that funds may have been routed to Pappu through hawala channels during the period he remained untraceable, with suspicions that he had relocated to another state.
What Happens Next
With Pappu now before the ED, investigators are expected to question him at length on the alleged syndicate network, the source of recovered assets, and his links to others already arrested. Whether the agency moves to formally detain him will depend on what emerges during questioning. The case has drawn attention to the nexus between organised crime, real estate syndicates, and law enforcement in Kolkata — a pattern the ED has been probing with increasing intensity across West Bengal.
Point of View
Not just street muscle. The hawala angle, if proven, would point to a financial network well beyond south Kolkata's localities. The real test for the agency is whether it can convert months of raids and arrests into a charge sheet that holds in court — past syndicate prosecutions in West Bengal have had a troubled record of convictions.
NationPress
3 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Sona Pappu and why is the ED investigating him?
Sona Pappu, whose real name is Biswajit Poddar, is a Kolkata-based figure allegedly linked to organised syndicates in the Kasba and Ballygunge areas of south Kolkata. The ED is investigating him for alleged extortion, land grabbing, criminal threats, and money laundering in connection with a syndicate case that gained attention after the Rabindra Sarovar clash in February.
What did the ED recover from Sona Pappu's house?
During a raid on Pappu's residence in April, the ED reportedly recovered approximately ₹2 crore in cash, along with an expensive car and several property documents. The seizures form a key part of the money laundering investigation against him.
Who else has been arrested in the Sona Pappu syndicate case?
Construction business owner Joy Kamdar has been arrested in connection with the case. Kolkata Police officer Shantanu Sinha Biswas was also raided at his Fern Road residence and subsequently arrested after being summoned for questioning in the Pappu investigation.
Why was Sona Pappu untraceable for so long?
Investigators reportedly suspected Pappu had gone into hiding in another state. Despite appearing intermittently on social media live streams, he could not be physically located. The ED believes funds may have been transferred to him through hawala channels during this period.
Will Sona Pappu be arrested after appearing before the ED?
That remains to be determined. Pappu appeared before ED officials on 18 May and denied wrongdoing, saying 'I have not done anything wrong.' Whether the agency proceeds to formally detain him will depend on the outcome of questioning and the evidence it has gathered so far.
