ED raids in Kolkata in connection with fugitive criminal Sona Pappu

KOLKATA: ED on Sunday carried out searches at several locations in Kolkata as part of an investigation into alleged land grabbing and financial fraud cases connected to fugitive criminal ‘Sona Pappu’, a senior official said.The raids were conducted at the residences of two businessmen in Anandapur and Alipore."The searches are part of an ongoing investigation into financial irregularities and suspected links with absconding accused Sona Pappu," the ED official said, requesting anonymity.Sona Pappu, named as a key accused in multiple cases of land grabbing and financial fraud, has been absconding for some time.Investigators suspect that he had close associations with several businessmen, leading the agency to expand the scope of its inquiry."We have obtained crucial leads during questioning, which led us to these premises," the agency official said.The ED is now looking into the involvement of the two businessmen in the alleged financial dealings and examining whether they were used as conduits for illegal transactions, the official added.Further investigation is underway, and more searches are expected, sources said.