The West Bengal police have recovered nearly Rs 29 crore in cash and 15 kilograms of gold during a search operation at the house of Minar Mondal, relative of an alleged close associate of former Trinamool Congress leader Anubrata Mondal in Birbhum district.
Minar Mondal, a bus driver, is the relative of Tulu Mondal, a stone trader and associate of Anubrata, who joined the rebel camp led by Ritabrata Banerjee earlier this month. Once considered former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's strongman in Birbhum, Anubrata Mondal served as the TMC district president for more than a decade.
Police raided Minar's residence in Deucha, Mohammad Bazar, in Birbhum late Tuesday night. The search continued until Wednesday evening, with officials spending more than 18 hours counting the recovered cash. Minar Mondal was arrested following the raid. He allegedly confessed to the police that the cash and gold belonged to Tulu Mondal and his alleged illegal syndicate.
Birbhum Superintendent of Police Vidit Raj Bhundesh told media that officers recovered Rs 28.5 crore in cash and 15kg of gold from the house. The cash was stored in 35 nylon bags, with bundles also stacked along the walls. Police used five cash-counting machines and five iron trunks to process the seizure.
Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari shared details of the operation on X, praising the police for the crackdown. He said the action reflected the government's commitment to a "zero-tolerance policy" against corruption. "Public wealth belongs to the people, and those who loot it will face the full might of the law. Vigilance and uncompromising action will continue. Crackdown on mafia syndicates will go on," he added.
According to a News18 report, officials suspect the premises were being used to run an illegal syndicate. The massive seizure of cash and gold has prompted a broader investigation into the source of the assets and the network allegedly linked to them.
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