Once he was a daily wager. Now Md Nizamuddin alias Tulu Mondal has joined the list of names in West Bengal linked to cupboards full of riches – at last count, Rs 28.50 crore in cash, and 15 kg gold valued at Rs 22 crore, reportedly seized from the house of his nephew, Minar Mondal, a former government bus driver.
Birbhum SP V R Bhundesh said Minar was Tulu’s “manager”. While Minar is under arrest, Tulu is absconding, with a non-bailable warrant against him on charges of organized crime and criminal conspiracy, among others. “His house has been sealed,” Bhundesh told reporters earlier.
Public Prosecutor Bivas Chatterjee claimed Minar had “confessed” that the money and gold belonged to Tulu. “Land grabbing, extortion and economic offences may be involved,” Chatterjee said.
Public Prosecutor Bivas Chatterjee claimed Minar had “confessed” that the money and gold belonged to Tulu. “Land grabbing, extortion and economic offences may be involved,” Chatterjee said.
As per sources, Tulu used to make a living loading stones onto dumper trucks and lorries, from where he gradually moved to quarrying and crushing of stones, and supply and logistics. Around 2014-2015, his fortunes changed when Tulu entered the circle of the then ruling Trinamool Congress, through proximity to Saigal Hossain, a personal guard of then TMC heavyweight Anubrata Mondal.
However, Tulu never formally joined the TMC or held any post in the party.
Soon, Tulu had a fleet of over 200 vehicles, including dumper trucks, working in his stone quarrying, coal transport, and sand mining operations. An acquaintance who did not want to be identified said marriage with a tribal woman also helped Tulu’s rise as it allowed him access to land to establish his stone quarry. There were multiple companies registered in the names of his wife and daughter.
In a demonstration of his hold on the area, Tulu once announced that he would construct a private bridge across the Mayurakshi river to allow his dumper trucks to bypass weight restrictions on the Tilpara reservoir. This was halted only after public outcry.
In 2022, when the CBI first knocked on Anubrata’s doors, it also searched Tulu’s premises. Later the same year, Tulu was arrested by local police in connection with a murder case and spent nearly a month in judicial custody. His rivals termed it a bid to ensure Central agencies didn’t get to Tulu.
In a demonstration of his hold on the area, Tulu once announced that he would construct a private bridge across the Mayurakshi river to allow his dumper trucks to bypass weight restrictions on the Tilpara reservoir. This was halted only after public outcry.
In 2024, Tulu came to state-wide attention when he hosted a lavish wedding for his daughter, spending crores and hosting a guest list including many celebrities. More than 500 vehicles brought people from Kolkata to Birbhum for the wedding, as per locals.
Just ahead of the 2026 elections which the TMC lost and BJP won, the authorities again suspected Tulu following a recovery of Rs 5 crore from New Town.
On Friday, Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari praised Birbhum police for the recoveries from Tulu, adding that apart from the cash and jewellery seized, “we have found clues regarding 21 properties, including houses, a farmhouse, two petrol pumps, 82 trucks and cars, and 300 bighas of land… We will seize these.”
Attacking his predecessor Mamata Banerjee, Adhikhari said: “It (the scam) doesn’t happen without government support. Such a massive racket was going on for so long, everyone in the state government must have been involved.”
Now in the rebel camp, former Mamata aide Madan Mitra backed the allegation. “All these recoveries… happened under the TMC government… I was also a member of the party then. So, how can I say that everyone jumped into the swimming pool, and the water did not touch my body? Even I faced corruption allegations.”
Kunal Ghosh, who belongs to Kalighat and is a Mamata loyalist, questioned why the government had taken so long to get to the alleged crores. “Legal action must be taken against anyone possessing illegal money or gold, but the question is why this recovery was not made earlier? It has been three months since the new government took office, and before that, for nearly six months during the elections, the BJP controlled police through the Election Commission. What were they doing then? We demand a full investigation to find out who else was involved,” Ghosh said.
Anubrata, who spent 25 months behind bars in connection with a cattle-smuggling case and faces several other charges, denied any links with Tulu. “Whenever anything happens in Birbhum, it gets linked to Anubrata. What does it mean someone being close? I knew him, shared dais with him three-four times, as he was well-known in the area,” Anubrata said, underlining that he did not attend Tulu’s daughter’s wedding.
BJP leader Locket Chatterjee said: “Our CM has said that neither will he profit nor would he let anyone else profit. Anyone who is linked to corruption will be prosecuted.”
Birbhum SP V R Bhundesh said Minar was Tulu’s “manager”. While Minar is under arrest, Tulu is absconding, with a non-bailable warrant against him on charges of organized crime and criminal conspiracy, among others. 
Public Prosecutor Bivas Chatterjee claimed Minar had “confessed” that the money and gold belonged to Tulu. “Land grabbing, extortion and economic offences may be involved,” Chatterjee said.
In a demonstration of his hold on the area, Tulu once announced that he would construct a private bridge across the Mayurakshi river to allow his dumper trucks to bypass weight restrictions on the Tilpara reservoir. This was halted only after public outcry.
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