Kolkata, Aug 22 (IANS) Police on Saturday raided the in‑laws’ house of arrested Prabir Das, a close associate of absconding Birbhum‑based stone quarry owner Tulu Mondal, accused of corruption during the previous Trinamool Congress government era.
Prabir’s workplace was in Birbhum district, while his in‑laws’ house is in Berhampore in Murshidabad district. The Birbhum district police accompanied him to his in‑laws’ residence in Indraprastha under Berhampore police station area. After a search operation lasting about three hours, police came out with a black bag, whose contents remain undisclosed, fuelling speculation.
Investigations revealed that Prabir was employed as a clerk in the Mohammadbazar Land and Land Reforms Department in Birbhum. It is alleged that he abused his position and collected hefty daily commissions from Tulu Mondal. Police say they found evidence of these illegal financial transactions, leading to his arrest. He is currently in judicial custody.
Sources said the raid aimed to trace clues about Prabir’s alleged transactions worth crores with Tulu Mondal and where the money went. Investigators suspect that a significant portion of the illegal earnings was kept at his in‑laws’ house or in the names of relatives.
Police sources confirmed that the seized black bag contained several important documents, though they did not disclose details. Investigators believe the documents may provide further clues about Tulu’s financial empire.
Several arrests have already been made in connection with the case, including Tulu’s relatives, his manager and close associates. However, Tulu remains absconding. He approached the Calcutta High Court seeking protection during the investigation, but the plea filed by his lawyer, Dushyant Dave, was dismissed. Justice Saugata Bhattacharyya’s bench refused to interfere in the police probe, prompting investigators to widen the scope of the inquiry.
A ‘Red Corner’ notice has already been issued against Tulu Mondal. Recently, police recovered Rs 28.5 crore in cash and about 15 kg of gold from the house of his relative Minar Mondal in Deucha village under Mohammadbazar police station in Birbhum. Since then, investigators have intensified raids at multiple addresses linked to Tulu and his associates.
–IANS
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