ED raids on Sun group, central forces surround Ballygunge office

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) intensified its pre-election operations in West Bengal on Wednesday morning, targeting a business office in South Kolkata’s Ballygunge area. Escorted by a large contingent of central armed police forces, ED officials launched a search at the office of Sun Enterprises on Ashwini Dutta Road. The operation began in the early hours, with jawans surrounding the building to prevent any unauthorised entry or exit, though reports indicate that investigators initially faced hurdles entering the premises.

According to investigation sources, Sun Enterprises, a firm primarily involved in the construction and real estate sector, is under the scanner for alleged financial fraud amounting to several crores of rupees. The central agency’s move follows specific leads regarding the diversion of funds and potential money laundering within the company’s accounts. While the agency is meticulously examining documents related to various projects, it is not yet confirmed if the firm has direct links to any political figures.

This raid comes just three days after a similar high-profile operation on March 28, where the ED searched the multi-storey residence of an influential businessman in the nearby Ballygunge Place area. In that instance, the search was linked to a massive land scam where investors were allegedly duped of hundreds of crores under the guise of real estate projects. The coincidence of these raids occurring within a week suggests a concerted effort by the central agency to track illegal money trails in the city's real estate hub before the state heads to the polls.