Massive Police Raid in Birbhum Seizes 29 Crore Cash and 15 Kg Gold from Residence of Former State Bus Driver West Bengal Police uncovered a massive stash of 29 crore rupees in cash and 15 kilograms of gold during a raid at a former state transport bus driver's home in Birbhum. The action is part of an ongoing crackdown against illegal stone mining and revenue theft. In a major law enforcement operation, West Bengal Police seized an extraordinary hoard of illicit cash and precious metal from Birbhum district. During a detailed search of a two-storey residential building in Deucha village, police recovered at least 29 crore rupees in currency notes alongside 15 kilograms of gold. This recovery stands as one of the largest seizures of unaccounted money and gold in the state over the last four years. The confiscated gold consists of 14 bullion bars weighing one kilogram each and 10 gold biscuits weighing 100 grams each, carrying an estimated market value of approximately 21.5 crore rupees at prevailing bullion rates. Police officials stated that currency counting machines operated continuously, with the total cash count crossing 25 crore rupees early in the operation before finally reaching 29 crore rupees. This massive seizure represents a major breakthrough in the ongoing crackdown against illegal stone quarrying, sand mining, and systemic revenue evasion in Birbhum district. The last comparable recovery of unaccounted assets in West Bengal occurred in July 2022 during the Enforcement Directorate (ED) investigation into the state school recruitment scam. At that time, federal agents seized 50 crore rupees in cash, gold bullion, and foreign currency from premises linked to Arpita Mukherjee, a close associate of former state minister Partha Chatterjee. The latest Birbhum recovery underscores the immense scale of parallel financial networks operating around local natural resources. Raid Targets Property of Bus Driver Turned Stone Merchant Minar Mondal The two-storey property where the funds were concealed belongs to Minar Mondal, a former government employee who previously worked as a bus driver for the North Bengal State Transport Corporation (NBSTC). Several years ago, he resigned from public service to join his relative's expanding stone mining and transport business. During the raid, police officers detained Minar Mondal and his son at the residence. Both individuals are currently undergoing intensive interrogation aimed at uncovering additional hidden locations where further proceeds of crime may have been stored. According to investigative sources, Minar Mondal managed one of seven key toll checkpoints in the region through which heavy vehicles carrying stone quarry materials pass daily. His primary role involved collecting toll revenues from transport operators. Authorities suspect that he systematically siphoned off substantial sums intended for the government exchequer, accumulating vast personal wealth. The cash and gold seized from his residence are believed to represent a portion of these misappropriated public funds. The Connection to Absconding Businessman Tullu Mondal Police inquiries revealed that Minar Mondal is a close relative of absconding businessman Tullu Mondal, also known as Mohammad Najibuddin. Tullu Mondal holds extensive commercial interests across Birbhum's stone mining sector. Suvendu Adhikari publicly categorized Tullu Mondal as a key 'sand mafia' operator. Birbhum district has long remained under administrative and judicial scrutiny due to recurring allegations of illegal quarrying, unrecorded dispatching, and organized crime tied to the stone trade. Tullu Mondal's name previously emerged during a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into a multi-crore cattle smuggling syndicate. In August 2022, federal agents searched his commercial office, warehouse, and multiple real estate properties in the Mohammad Bazar area of Birbhum. Subsequently, in November 2022, the Enforcement Directorate issued summons requiring his appearance for questioning in New Delhi. Within 48 hours of receiving the federal summons, Birbhum Police arrested Tullu Mondal in connection with an October 2022 homicide case. Political Ties and Ongoing Legal Proceedings Police sources confirmed that after securing bail in the murder case, Tullu Mondal went into hiding following the announcement of state election results in May this year and remains at large. Tullu Mondal commanded a major market share of Birbhum's stone trade and was widely reported to be a close associate of Anubrata Mondal, the chief of Birbhum Trinamool Congress. Anubrata Mondal was himself arrested by the CBI in connection with the cattle smuggling probe. Following his release on bail, Anubrata Mondal aligned with a dissident party faction led by Ritabrata Banerjee. Investigative authorities maintain that illegal stone and sand extraction in Birbhum operated under political patronage, generating substantial unaccounted revenues. The cash and gold recovered from Minar Mondal's house provide concrete evidence of large-scale financial fraud conducted under the guise of local toll collection and transit documentation. Key Focus Areas of the Upcoming ED Probe Following this massive recovery, the Enforcement Directorate is preparing a comprehensive financial investigation. The federal agency's inquiry will focus on several critical aspects • Determining how Tullu Mondal and his associates accumulated assets worth hundreds of crores of rupees over a short period. • Investigating their specific roles in illegal sand extraction, unauthorized stone quarry operations, and Dispatch Clearance Receipt (DCR) revenue fraud. • Mapping connections to influential political and business figures, including whether the operation enjoyed direct protection from Anubrata Mondal or extended to connections in Kolkata. • Verifying holdings of luxury assets, extensive land parcels, and claims regarding ownership of a hotel property in Dubai. • Examining expenditures associated with his daughter's high-profile wedding and alleged connections between his son-in-law's family and an international gold smuggling network. • Establishing whether state revenue losses from illegal mining benefited only local political figures or reached higher levels of the state administration. What this means for you • Across India: Strict enforcement against illegal resource extraction and unaccounted wealth helps curb systemic tax evasion and protects public revenue. • In West Bengal and Birbhum: Enhanced police oversight at local toll gates and mining hubs aims to stop extortion and restore regulatory compliance. Questions & Answers 1. How much cash and gold were seized during the Birbhum police raid? Police recovered at least 29 crore rupees in cash and 15 kilograms of gold valued at approximately 21.5 crore rupees, including 14 one-kg bars and 10 hundred-gram biscuits. 2. Whose house was raided by the police in Birbhum? The raid was conducted at the residence of Minar Mondal, a former state transport bus driver who later transitioned into the stone quarrying business. 3. What is the connection between Minar Mondal and absconding businessman Tullu Mondal? Minar Mondal is a relative of absconding stone and sand mining operator Tullu Mondal, also known as Mohammad Najibuddin. 4. What are the main focus areas of the Enforcement Directorate probe in this case? The ED is investigating Tullu Mondal's massive wealth, illegal mining operations, DCR receipt fraud, political connections, alleged Dubai hotel assets, and family links to gold smuggling. 5. When was a similar large-scale cash and gold seizure made earlier in West Bengal? In July 2022, the ED seized 50 crore rupees in unaccounted cash, gold, and foreign currency from Arpita Mukherjee, an associate of former minister Partha Chatterjee. https://trendkia.com/en/west-bengal/birbhum-men-pulisa-reda-ke-daurana-29-karora-rupaye-kaisha-aura-15-kilo-sona-baramada-purva-sarakari-basa-draivara-ke-makana-men-m-12041 TrendKia — Har trend, sabse pehle.