Police recover over Rs 1 crore from alleged TMC office in West Bengal
Trinamool Congress officials claim the cash was planted as fake evidence during a police investigation.
Police recovered more than Rs 1.02 crore in cash from a property identified as a Trinamool Congress (TMC) office in Sarisha, Diamond Harbour, according to reports by ANI and The News Mill. The seizure occurred during a late-night raid on Tuesday in the South 24 Parganas district.
Additional Superintendent of Police (Zonal) Abhishek Majumdar stated that the search was prompted by information obtained while questioning Sumit Roy. Roy, the personal assistant to TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee, is currently in judicial custody regarding a land-related corruption case and an illegal soil excavation case.
Investigators are currently examining the source of the funds and the transaction records. While the premises were identified as a TMC office, Majumdar said it is not yet established who was running the location or the purpose for which the money was kept.
West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari alleged the money belonged to Abhishek Banerjee, whom he referred to as the 'bhatija' (nephew). Adhikari claimed the amount was small for the individual and stated that the police are working to take action.
Abhishek Banerjee denied the claims on X, accusing the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of planting fabricated evidence. He alleged the property was vandalised by BJP workers six months ago and that the current situation is a conspiracy to misuse the law.
The TMC has stated it had leased the property for three years starting in 2023. The party claims the office was looted by miscreants on May 21 and subsequently returned to the owner.