Separate teams from the Enforcement Directorate (ED) conducted raids across multiple locations in Calcutta and the districts on Saturday as part of their investigation into a purported scam involving land acquisition for projects and the deceiving of investors through enticing offers.

In Calcutta, separate teams visited two addresses of a city-based businessman — including his office on Jawaharlal Nehru Road and his house in Ballygunge.

According to sources within the central agency, a case has been initiated into alleged fraud and money laundering following numerous complaints from victims who claimed they were deceived.

The ED had drawn up an Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR) based on the complaints, a bulk of which were from investors in the districts, officials said.

“The amount involved runs into several hundred crores. We will not be able to speak about the case in detail,” a senior ED official said, refusing to divulge anything further about the raids.

Teams started visiting the locations from early Saturday, with central forces in tow. Sources said officials sought documents related to the procurement of land parcels in different locations from those associated with the
projects.

The multiple ED raids on Saturday came at a time when the Election Commission (EC) has been underlining the need to prevent the illegal flow of money, allegedly for use in elections across Bengal, with all the investigating agencies.

“The EC has spelt out through its directives that naka checks will have to be carried out round the clock on thoroughfares and the borders to prevent illegal flow of money, arms, and other items,” a senior official associated with the Assembly polls in Bengal said.