After ED summons, I-T raids TMC heavyweight candidate Debasish Kumar
Earlier, the ED had summoned Debasish Kumar -- a member of the Mayor's Council of Kolkata Municipal Corporation and the outgoing MLA of the Rashbehari constituency -- twice in connection with a land-grabbing case.
Days after he was summoned by the Enforcement Directorate, the Income Tax Department on Friday conducted searches at five places linked to Trinamool Congress candidate Debasish Kumar, including his house and two party offices in Kolkata, over alleged income and tax discrepancies.
According to I-T department sources, searches began simultaneously around 5.30 am at three locations — Kumar’s house, a nearby party office located 250 metres away, and another office on Motilal Nehru Road, which is also being used by TMC candidate Sovan Deb Chatterjee for election purposes.
The I-T department later in the day extended its raid to the residence of Kumar’s in-laws and one more place.
The I-T officers, accompanied by the central security forces, are continuing the raids at Kumar’s house, according to the latest reports. Local TMC workers staged a protest when the raids began in the morning.
Additionally, his supporters held a dharna outside his house, with some placards reading, “I am also Debasish Kumar.”
“This is harassment of our leader. Why the sudden raid now, just to harass our dada?” protesters said.
In simultaneous searches, I-T officials raided the Elgin Road residence of Miraj Shah in south Kolkata. Shah, a chartered accountant by profession, is also a director of a Bhabanipur educational institution. He was among the four individuals from different faiths who proposed the TMC supremo’s name in the poll nomination.
Around the same time, I-T teams also raided the Kalighat residence of TMC leader Kumar Saha, a close aide of Debashis Kumar.
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Earlier, the ED had summoned Kumar — a member of the Mayor’s Council of Kolkata Municipal Corporation and the outgoing MLA of the Rashbehari constituency — twice in connection with a land-grabbing case.
According to ED sources, the agency has recently conducted raids at the houses of a businessman named Amit Gangopadhyay, who owned a firm, and his other partners, and recovered several documents and also phone chats, where pictures and information of several disputed pieces of land were sent to Kumar.
According to ED sources, the company has been accused of grabbing land under the Kolkata Municipal Corporation and carrying out construction projects with the help of the KMC.
The ED is questioning Kumar to find out if he had any association with the businessman and his partners, as it was found that illegal construction activities were carried out in Kumar’s area. It is also investigating whether Kumar had any link with the sale of the disputed properties and if there had been any financial transactions.
Tanusree Bose is a dedicated journalist reporting for The Indian Express from Kolkata. Her work focuses sharply on the complex administrative, political, and judicial developments across West Bengal, establishing her as an authoritative voice in regional news coverage.
Experience
Current Role: Reports for the prestigious national daily, The Indian Express, providing her content with a high level of Trustworthiness.
Geographical Expertise: Provides focused, in-depth coverage of West Bengal, demonstrating an intimate knowledge of the state's news and political nuances.
Core Authority: Her reporting portfolio highlights deep Expertise in crucial, often sensitive, beats, including:
State Politics and Governance: Covering the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC), opposition strategies (BJP), and internal political controversies.
Judicial and Administrative Affairs: Closely monitoring key developments in the Calcutta High Court, particularly major rulings related to employment, education, and social issues.
Education Sector: Extensive reporting on significant controversies, such as teacher recruitment irregularities and administrative actions by the West Bengal Board of Secondary Education (WBBSE).
Social & Electoral Issues: Covering public events, community tensions (e.g., religious/political gatherings), and election-related processes like the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral roll.
Tanusree Bose's consistent output and focus on high-stakes regional issues for a trusted media outlet underscore her status as a reliable and authoritative source for news from West Bengal. ... Read More
