Birbhum, West Bengal: In a shocking case that has raised fresh questions about the scale of illegal wealth in India, police have recovered ₹20 crore in cash and 15 kilograms of gold from the residence of a former government bus driver in West Bengal’s Birbhum district.
The huge haul left investigators shocked, they said, and officials had to use five large iron trunks, five currency-counting machines, and spend several hours to secure and count the seized cash.
According to initial reports, the raid was conducted at Minar Mandal, a former government bus driver in the Deucha area of Birbhum. Mandal is the brother-in-law of the local stone trader Tulu Mandal, who is also under investigation by investigators.
Police carried out a late-night search operation on July 28 based on confidential information. During the raid, officers found about 35 sacks filled with bundles of currency notes and 15 kilograms of gold biscuits in the house.
The cash was estimated at ₹20 crore, while the seized gold is expected to be worth several crores more at current market prices.
The discovery has prompted authorities to conduct a detailed investigation into the source of the money and gold. Investigators are investigating whether the recovered assets are linked to illegal mining, tax evasion, money laundering or other financial crimes.
Police are also verifying financial records, property documents and bank transactions related to Minar Mandal and his associates.
The seizure has received widespread attention in particular because the accused was a government bus driver. Now investigators want to know how such a huge amount of money was amassed and whether other people or networks were involved.
They said the recovered cash and gold were taken into custody in accordance with legal procedures. Further forensic and financial analysis is being conducted ahead of further action.
The case will be handed over to specialised investigative agencies if there is evidence of large-scale financial irregularities or organised illegal activities during the probe.
As investigations continue, officials have appealed to the public not to speculate, and all aspects of the case will be examined thoroughly before any conclusions are drawn.
