Over Rs 1 Crore Recovered From TMC Office In Bengal After Abhishek Banerjee Aide's Interrogation

New Delhi: Police have recovered more than Rs 1 crore in cash from a Trinamool Congress (TMC) party office in West Bengal's South 24 Parganas district following the interrogation of Sumit Roy, personal assistant to TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee. The recovery was made during a search operation at the party office in Sarisha, under the Diamond Harbour Lok Sabha constituency, on Tuesday night.

According to police, a total of Rs 1,02,79,000 was seized from the premises. The search operation was conducted after investigators questioned Roy, who is currently in police custody in connection with alleged land-grabbing and soil theft cases.

Abhishek Majumder, Superintendent of Police of the Diamond Harbour police district, confirmed the recovery on Wednesday. He said investigators obtained important leads after questioning Roy for several hours, following which a search was conducted at the TMC office in Sarisha.

"We got some clues after interrogating Sumit for long hours and then conducted a search operation at the Trinamool Congress party office at Sarisha, where we seized the hard cash of Rs 1,02,79,000 on the spot," Majumder said.

The police officer, however, did not disclose who was responsible for managing or operating the party office. Responding to questions from reporters, he said that although the premises were identified as a TMC office, investigators were yet to establish exactly who was running it.

Why Was Abhishek Banerjee's Aide Arrested?

Sumit Roy, a close aide of Abhishek Banerjee, was arrested in connection with allegations of forcibly occupying government land in Salboni, Paschim Medinipur district, and stealing soil in the Asuti police station area of South 24 Parganas.

Police had taken him into custody for questioning in connection with the alleged soil theft case. Investigators are examining complaints concerning the alleged sale of soil extracted from government and private land in the Kalitala area at high prices.

Roy's interrogation reportedly provided investigators with leads that eventually took them to the TMC party office in Sarisha, where the cash was recovered.

TMC MLA's Office Under Scanner

The party office from which the money was recovered is reportedly associated with Shamim Ahmed, the TMC MLA from Magrahat West. Police sources indicated that a Trinamool legislator from South 24 Parganas was operating the office and had close political connections with Roy.

Investigators are also examining possible links involving the legislator and the owner of a private medical college in the district. According to reports, a family member of the MLA is employed at the medical college hospital, whose new campus was inaugurated by Abhishek Banerjee.

The legislator and Roy reportedly shared close links with the institution's owner, who had become influential during the TMC government's tenure in West Bengal.

However, police have not officially established the ownership or management of the recovered cash, and the alleged connections remain part of the ongoing investigation.

Police Probe Source Of Recovered Cash

The recovery of Rs 1.02 crore from a political party office has raised questions about why such a substantial amount of cash was kept at the premises and where it originated.

Police are investigating the source of the money, the circumstances under which it was stored at the office and whether other individuals were involved.

The seizure comes amid an ongoing investigation involving Abhishek Banerjee's aide and alleged irregularities in land and soil transactions in different parts of West Bengal.

Police have indicated that further details will emerge as the investigation progresses.

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