Birbhum: In one of the largest recoveries of unaccounted wealth in West Bengal since the 2022 Enforcement Directorate raids, police seized over 20 crore rupees in cash and 15 kg of gold during an early morning raid in Birbhum district on Wednesday. The search operation was conducted at the Deucha residence of Minar Mondal, a former government bus driver who subsequently entered the local stone quarrying trade.
According to law enforcement officials, the seized bullion includes 14 gold bars weighing one kilogram each alongside 10 gold biscuits, carrying an estimated market value of 21.5 crore rupees. Cash counting operations were ongoing as officers cataloged funds recovered from multiple bags inside the two-storey property. Police detained Minar Mondal and his son on-site for interrogation regarding the origin of the assets and potential secondary storage locations. Investigative sources indicate that Mondal managed local revenue collection gates for stone-carrying vehicles and is suspected of diverting substantial public funds into private accounts.
Police identified Mondal as the brother-in-law of Tullu Mondal, an absconding businessman heavily involved in Birbhum’s stone trade who was previously named in central agency investigations regarding cross-border smuggling networks. Tullu Mondal, who went into hiding following recent state electoral outcomes, was described as an associate of former local political figures operating in the district.
The recovery coincides with expanded state enforcement measures aimed at curbing revenue leakages across regional mining and quarrying operations. Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari commended law enforcement personnel for the operation on social media, reiterating a zero-tolerance policy toward illegal resource extraction and organized financial crime. Meanwhile, opposition representatives acknowledged the necessity of legal action while calling for broader investigations into political figures who may have historically enabled such operations.
