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Kolkata, Oct 30 (IANS) Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials probing the multi-crore cash-for-jobs case in municipalities in West Bengal are keeping an eye on the involvement of shell companies in diverting the proceeds of crime.
Sources familiar with the matter said suspicions about the involvement of shell companies in diverting the proceeds of crime first arose in the minds of investigating officials when they recovered several bills of a fake construction company from the office of a West Bengal cabinet member during a raid and search operation earlier this month.
However, when ED officials reached the office of the said construction company, namely Venkatesh Construction, which was mentioned in the bills, the office was closed.
After entering the office premises, investigating officers found the office empty, raising suspicions that the entity was actually a shell company intended to divert the proceeds of crime into a municipality job case.
Sources said that the bank accounts of the said unit are currently being investigated by ED officials. Also, the investigating officers are trying to trace similar shell entities that may have been used to divert the proceeds of crime in the municipality jobs case.
ED officials on Wednesday raided the house of a businessman in Kolkata’s Taratala area and recovered Rs 1 crore and jewellery. This raid was conducted as part of the investigation into the municipality recruitment corruption case.
According to sources, ED has recently received information about several companies involved in the municipality recruitment corruption case. Based on that information, they raided many places including Beliaghata on Tuesday.
On Tuesday, officials of the investigating agency raided the house of a business family located at 75 Hemchandra Naskar Road in Beliaghata area of the city.
–IANS
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