THE JHARKHAND STORY DESK
Kolkata, Nov 7: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) carried out searches at eight locations in Kolkata and Siliguri on Friday as part of its probe into an organised human trafficking and prostitution racket allegedly run through bar-cum-restaurants in West Bengal.
According to sources, the operation—led by the ED’s Kolkata zonal office—began early in the morning and covered premises linked to several accused and suspects across Bidhannagar, Kolkata, and Siliguri.
The raids are part of an ongoing investigation into a network accused of exploiting women under the guise of offering employment and forcing them into prostitution for financial gain.
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Officials revealed that the accused, identified as Jagjit Singh, Ajmal Siddiqui, Bishnu Mundra, and others, are believed to have generated illicit cash running into several crores through these activities. The proceeds, they added, were allegedly laundered through multiple companies under their control to conceal the illegal source of income.
The probe stems from a series of FIRs and charge sheets filed by the West Bengal Police under the Indian Penal Code (IPC), Arms Act, and the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act—offences that fall under the ambit of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002. The ED continues to trace the money trail and identify the full extent of the criminal network.
