Enforcement Directorate ramps up multi-case investigations in West Bengal ahead of Assembly elections.
April 12, 2026: The Enforcement Directorate has launched an extensive crackdown in the run-up to the West Bengal Assembly Elections, targeting multiple cases linked to corruption, money laundering, illegal land deals, recruitment scams, and hawala networks. In recent days, the agency has carried out raids, attached properties, issued summons, and filed charge sheets involving politicians, officials, and alleged criminal syndicates.
In the IPAC-linked case, the ED conducted multi-city raids across Hyderabad, Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Vijayawada, and Ranchi, uncovering documents and digital evidence pointing to suspected money laundering and international hawala links. Meanwhile, former minister Partha Chatterjee is once again under scrutiny, with fresh searches at his Kolkata residence in connection with the SSC recruitment scam, after he reportedly failed to respond to multiple summons.
Other major actions include raids linked to the ‘Sona Pappu’ syndicate, where cash, jewellery, and a luxury vehicle were seized, and a land fraud racket involving forged documents and illegal property deals. The agency also targeted a PDS ration scam, uncovering diversion of wheat meant for public distribution. In the illegal coal mining case, a charge sheet has exposed an alleged ₹650 crore extortion network. These back-to-back operations highlight a major enforcement push, with more developments expected as investigations continue.