The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has arrested former police officer Manoranjan Mondal in connection with a coal smuggling case in West Bengal. Officials said on Friday, June 19, 2026, that Mondal had been under the central agency’s scrutiny for a prolonged period before his arrest.
Mondal, who previously served as the officer-in-charge of Barabani police station, was taken into custody by ED officials on Thursday evening after several hours of questioning at the CGO complex in Salt Lake, near Kolkata.
ED Questions Former Officer Over Financial Transactions
According to sources, Mondal had earlier failed to appear before investigators despite repeated summonses. During questioning, officials allegedly found inconsistencies in his statements and said he was unable to provide satisfactory explanations regarding several financial transactions.
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Authorities stated that the former police officer had already been suspended from service in 2024 in connection with separate corruption allegations.
Arrest Linked to Coal Smuggling Investigation
The arrest was made as part of an ongoing investigation into an alleged coal smuggling network. Following his detention, Mondal was produced before the Bankshall Court on Friday.
Investigators continue to examine the alleged links and financial dealings connected to the broader smuggling case, which remains under scrutiny by the enforcement agency.
Fresh Cases Add to Political and Legal Troubles
In a separate development, former Trinamool Congress MLA Sokat Molla was booked under rape allegations after a woman accused him of sexual abuse and blackmail over several years and filed a formal complaint. Police officials said the case was registered at Jibantala police station in South 24 Parganas earlier in the week. The allegations date back to 2019.
Molla, a former MLA from Canning, had earlier been arrested by the National Investigation Agency on June 5 in connection with a bomb blast in Bhangar that occurred before the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections.
Separately, former minister and senior Trinamool leader Udayan Guha, who had previously been booked under corruption charges in the Awas Yojana scheme, faced fresh allegations raised by local Left leaders in north Bengal. The complaint was formally lodged at Dinhata Police Station, where similar complaints have also reportedly been filed.
Meanwhile, former Trinamool MLA from Tarakeswar, Ramendu Singha Roy, was arrested in Karnataka in connection with allegations of extortion and corruption.
