Kolkata: The Bidhannagar Police formed a six-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the extortion case against Debraj Chakraborty, arrested former Trinamool BMC councillor, even as investigators launched an inquiry into charges of financial irregularities, undisclosed assets, money laundering and suspicious investments levelled against him.Chakraborty was arrested after the Calcutta High Court declined to extend the protection from any coercive action against him last month.The SIT, headed by a DCP-rank officer, comprises the Baguiati Police Station OC and four others. Police said they would investigate allegations of extortion, organised crime and accumulation of assets, disproportionate to income. The probe has extended beyond Bengal as cops traced alleged financial links with a businessman in Jharkhand. They are checking Chakraborty’s investments in hotels and resorts and ascertaining if the alleged extortion fund was diverted into hospitality ventures in other states.“Officers are examining laptops and mobiles seized from Chakraborty’s home. The digital records indicate funds may have been routed through a company, identified as DC Global. We have found documents related to property transactions and financial dealings involving multiple companies,” said a senior Bidhannagar City Police officer. Police are scrutinising the digital records to establish the money trail, identify possible beneficiaries and determine if the company was used to launder alleged extortion proceeds. After Chakraborty’s arrest, police questioned his wife and former MLA Aditi Munshi, seized electronic devices from her home and sought forensic assistance to recover deleted data from those. .The controversy surrounding Chakraborty intensified after allegations surfaced that he and his wife, Munshi, did not disclose assets of nearly Rs 100 crore in her election affidavits. Also, BJP MLA Tarunjyoti Tiwari alleged Chakraborty amassed assets worth around Rs 1,300 crore and that Munshi furnished false information in her election affidavit. These charges have not been established in court.Fresh complaints continued to come in from residents and developers. An autorickshaw driver alleged unofficial payments doubled the cost of obtaining routine civic clearances and another Baguiati resident claimed Chakraborty and his men demanded Rs 25 lakh to settle a property dispute. Police said SIT would probe these complaints as well. . Chakraborty has also figured in earlier investigations linked to post-poll violence and the school recruitment scam but he denied any involvement.
