The Enforcement Directorate (ED) carried out a series of raids on Wednesday across properties tied to the prominent Kolkata developer, Merlin Group, as part of an ongoing money laundering inquiry. According to officials, around seven locations linked to the firm and its promoters, Sushil Mohta and Saket Mohta, were searched under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
While a formal response from the company is still pending, the federal agency has focused its investigation on allegations of land grabbing. The ED suggests that the promoters orchestrated a "false" chain of title by using "forged" documents to seize control of land. It is further alleged that the group then commercially exploited these sites by launching major real estate projects.
The timing of the raids has naturally drawn attention, as West Bengal prepares for a two-phase election scheduled for April 23-29.
The core of the agency's case rests on the claim that the accused presented themselves as the rightful owners of the disputed land through fraudulent means. By doing so, they allegedly persuaded the public to invest significant amounts of money into their developments under false pretences. Investigations are continuing as the agency sifts through evidence gathered during the day's operations.
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