Bengal sand mining scam: ED finds hawala link between two kingpins

Kolkata, Sep 11 (IANS) The Enforcement Directorate (ED), probing the multi-crore sand smuggling case in West Bengal, has unearthed a common "hawala" link between two kingpins identified by the investigative agency.

The common link between the alleged sand mining scam kingpins Sheikh Zahirul Ali and Sourav Roy, is Sanjeev Boyd, an Insurance Regulatory Development Authority (IRDA)-certified insurance agent, ED sources said.

Earlier this week, the ED had conducted marathon raids across the state against the two kingpins.

However, the ED sleuths have specific clues that the insurance agency business of Byod was just a masquerade, and his actual business is to act as a Hawala agent for different illegal traders who were also involved in money laundering activities to divert their proceeds of crime.

As a Hawala agent, sources said, Boyd was not only responsible for diverting the process of such illegal business abroad in other countries but also arranging investments of a portion of the process in overseas properties.

This week, the ED officials conducted search operations at the office-cum residence of Byod at Regent Colony on the outskirts of Kolkata, and during that process, got definite clues of business links of Byod with both Sheikh Zahirul Ali and Sourav Roy.

At the same time, the ED sources said, the investigating officials have also got some concrete evidence of Byod's business links with a corporate entity engaged in sand-mining and sand-trading business and operating from two offices, the first being at Behala in the southern outskirts of Kolkata and the second being at Salt Lake.

"Apart from that, the investigating officials have also secured some other names of individuals and entities operating from different pockets in West Bengal, with whom Byod also has business links. Now the investigation is to identify those among these individuals and entities who are involved in illegal sand-mining and sand-trading businesses," the ED sources said.

--IANS

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