KOLKATA: The Enforcement Directorate has arrested Kolkata-based businessman Joy S Kamdar in connection with a land-grabbing and money-laundering case involving alleged illegal transactions worth about Rs 1,100 crore carried out through a network of shell companies.
Kamdar, managing director of Sun Enterprise, is accused of facilitating suspicious financial dealings and is described by investigators as a key associate of Biswajit Poddar, also known as Sona Pappu, a history-sheeter alleged to have ties to influential political figures. Investigators claim the two were linked through an extortion and land-grabbing racket that operated under the guise of real estate promotion.
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Investigators said Kamdar serves as a director of Supreme Credit Corporation Ltd, which allegedly transferred Rs 1.5 crore to SP Construction, a firm linked to Pappu. Another company, Heaven Valley, owned by Pappu’s wife Soma Sonar Podder, is also alleged to have engaged in suspicious transactions with Kamdar’s company. During questioning, Soma Podder allegedly said she was unaware of the business operations and that her husband handled all financial matters in her name. The agency also seized several digital devices from Kamdar, which it said contained incriminating chats and financial records.
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Those records, investigators believe, point to at least Rs 40 crore being diverted from the Calcutta Gujarati Education Society to shell entities, including one identified as Chicas Enterprise. Officials further said they found evidence of more than Rs 500 crore in cash deposits made within a four-month period as part of a larger Rs 1,100 crore transaction cycle.
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After his arrest, Kamdar could not be produced in court after he complained of chest pain. A medical examiner did not issue a fit-for-production certificate, and he is currently admitted to RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.
The Enforcement Directorate has moved for judicial custody and said it intends to confront Kamdar with electronic evidence seized during raids on April 1. Investigators also plan to question him further to identify the ultimate beneficiaries of the alleged crime, trace the money trail and prevent possible tampering with evidence.
Raids Follow Housing Scam Probe Across Kolkata
The arrest follows a series of raids at six locations in Kolkata, including Pappu’s residence in Ballygunge and the home of an associate, Rahul Das, on Kakulia Road. The investigation centres on what officials describe as a housing scam in which disputed land was allegedly taken over through force or forgery and later sold at premium prices.
Before his arrest, Kamdar had allegedly ignored two summonses issued by the agency. During an earlier raid on his residence, officials recovered Rs 1.2 crore in unaccounted cash. While Sona Pappu remains absconding, investigators continue to focus on his alleged role in illegal construction and extortion, which they say was aided by information from within the administration.
