Enforcement Directorate raids in several locations in West Bengal, including Kolkata over sand smuggling racket

Kolkata

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Monday (September 8, 2025) conducted multiple coordinated raids across West Bengal in relation to a sand smuggling case. Raids were carried out in Kolkata, Jhargram, Kalyani, Bidhannagar, and many other places.

The ED officials raided over 20 locations across the State, including Behala, Regent Park in Kolkata. At the centre of the operations is said to be Sheikh Zahirul Ali, a leader of the sand smuggling racket from the Gopiballabhpur area of Jhargram district. His huge mansion near the Subarnarekha River was raided by the ED officials on Monday (September 8, 2025).

Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari accused Trinamool Congress Party’s second-in-command Abhishek Banerjee of being related to the sand smuggling racket.

“There is a huge sand syndicate in multiple districts. They are not even sparing the embankments beside rivers. They are selling off the sand everywhere. This is a huge scam. If the government gets ₹20 out of a transaction, ₹80 goes to Abhishek,” Mr. Adhikari accused. He called for a larger investigation into the matter. He further accused that police officers are also involved in this sand racket.

According to reports, multiple electronic gadgets and cash were seized during the raids. The raids at multiple locations were conducted in relation to a group named GD Mining, which has found itself at the centre of these controversies. Other pieces of evidence were also collected for the ED officials during these raids.

TMC officials said that ED and CBI conducting raids right before the elections is not new in West Bengal and accused that the agencies becoming active during this time is a political move.

Senior advocate and Communist Party of India (Marxist) Rajya Sabha MP Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya accused district administrative officials of finally taking notice of the sand smuggling to save their own backs. “After District Magistrates filed complaints, ED officials have become active. Every official is not here to appease the CM,” Mr. Bhattacharya said.

Previously, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had criticised the involvement of officers and party workers in sand and cement smuggling rackets.

“Lower-level officers, workers, and some police officers take bribes in smuggling sand, coal, and cement theft,” Ms Banerjee said and came down heavily on officers and party workers on November 21, 2024. She wondered why she and other political leaders had to shoulder the blame for corruption among certain sections of the police and office workers.