Birbhum police raid aides of absconding stone quarry kingpin Tulu Mondal

The operation against Mondal started on Wednesday when police seized 15kg of gold bars and ₹28.05 crore from his cousin’s home

The Birbhum district police in Bengal on Sunday raided the homes and offices of several people associated with Md Nazibuddin alias Tulu Mondal, the absconding kingpin of an illegal stone quarry and sand business.

On Sunday, police searched the home of Ijajul Sheikh, who worked as a manager in Mondal’s quarry business. (Representative Photo)

Officials aware of the probe said the investigation focused on his modus operandi which deprived the state of revenue worth hundreds of crores during the Trinamool Congress (TMC) regime.

“Closure notices were sent to eight stone quarries because they were operating without a valid licence. Mondal’s nephew SK Wasim was arrested from Siliguri on Friday while trying to flee to Nepal. Police raided the homes and offices of more relatives and associates of Mondal on Saturday and Sunday,” a Birbhum district police officer said, requesting anonymity.

The operation against Mondal started on Wednesday when police seized 15kg of gold bars and ₹28.05 crore from his cousin’s home, whose husband, a retired state bus driver, was arrested.

After that, the police froze ₹93 crore found in Mondal’s bank accounts and seized 242 vehicles, including over 100 dumpers and some expensive Audi and BMW cars. At least 21 properties, including farm houses, were also sealed.

“Mondal started his career in around 2010-11 as a common labourer who carried stones from quarries to trucks. By 2015, he became the owner of several stone quarries because of his proximity to powerful politicians. By 2020, his company was collecting toll tax from around 2000 trucks that left Birbhum every day carrying stones and sand. He gave only a fraction of the collected tax to the government,” the police officer said.

On Sunday, police searched the home of Ijajul Sheikh, who worked as a manager in Mondal’s quarry business. “We are also on the lookout for Md Mohim, a man who rose fast under Mondal’s guidance,” a second police officer said.

“From the records we seized, it appears that besides his illegal quarry business, Mondal charged ₹2,500–3,000 from each truck loaded beyond the government-regulated limit. Around 1500-2000 trucks passed through the toll booths every day. Mondal used to give only around ₹22 lakh a day to the government,” the officer added.

Police suspect that Tulu Mondal invested in several properties in Dubai and may have fled there. On Thursday, the state told a Birbhum court that the seized gold bars were smuggled from Switzerland, Dubai and Malaysia.

West Bengal chief minister Suvendu Adhikari targeted his predecessor on Friday saying, “None of this would have been possible without the direct support of ex-chief minister Mamata Banerjee. Nobody can amass so much money and buy such properties and vehicles in one day.”

Adhikari told the state assembly on July 23 that revenue was stolen in Birbhum.

“The revenue from stone and sand in Birbhum used to be ₹65 crore a year. We collected ₹82 crore in the first month after coming to power. During the former regime the actual revenue was ₹1200 crore but only around ₹100 crore reached the state exchequer,” Adhikari said in his July 23 address before the assembly.

Since most of the TMC leaders from Birbhum, including former district unit president Anubrata Mondal have joined the rebel camp, the Mamata Banerjee faction said the police must take action against the politicians behind Tulu Mondal.

“If Tulu Mondal amassed such wealth then police must act against the politicians behind him,” TMC MLA Kunal Ghosh said.