ED unearths Sun Enterprise MD Jay Kamdar's hawala network, his close ties with Bengal police

Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], April 20 : The Enforcement Directorate (ED) investigation against the arrested Sun Enterprise Managing Director Jay S Kamdar revealed his involvement in extensive illegal international cross-border and domestic Hawala transactions through many shell companies.

The federal agency said these companies are under further investigation.

Kamdar, who was arrested by ED's Kolkata unit on April 19 under Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002 in connection with a money laundering investigation relating history-sheeter Biswajit Podder alias Sona Pappu and others, has been revealed to be in close contact with many police officials including Kolkaya Deputy Commissioner of Police Santanu Sinha Biswas and providing favours and expensive "gifts" to such officers, including their family members.

ED said its investigation has also revealed that Kamdar "wielded considerable clout and influence among a section of police officers and misused it for getting favours and lodging complaints against unsuspecting individuals in land-related matters."

"The documents and digital evidence seized show that Kamdar and his associates have been habitually engaging in a systematic and premeditated course of conduct with the intention to unlawfully acquire valuable immovable properties from lawful owners," said the agency in a statement.

ED further said that Kamdar was in close contact with Sona Pappu and had huge financial transactions with him. "He had also supplied firearms to Soma Sonar Poddar, the wife of Sona Pappu; however, she has failed to disclose anything relating to the said purchase of the firearms from Kamdar or his company."

Kamdar was produced on Monday before the Special Court, Bichar Bhavan, Kolkata, which granted nine days' custody to ED for further investigation.

Before the arrest of Kamdar, ED also conducted searches at six premises in Kolkata and Barrackpore, including the residential premises of Santanu Sinha Biswas on April 19 and seized incriminating documents.

ED had earlier conducted searches in this case on April 1, wherein cash amounting to Rs 1.47 crore and gold jewellery and silver valued at Rs 67.64 lakh, one Fortuner vehicle and one unlicensed gun (revolver) along with a number of incriminating documents and digital devices were seized. Several immovable properties in the form of land and buildings were also identified, which appear to have been obtained through criminal activities.

ED's investigation under PMLA has so far revealed that Proceeds of Crime were generated through illegal activities, including extortion, grabbing of real estate properties, unauthorized building construction through entities controlled by Sona Pappu and his associates.

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