Kolkata, 28 May (H.S.) : The police have recovered Rs 2.24 crore in cash from a jute field in connection with the case involving Dipankar Bhattacharya, chairman of the Baduria Municipality in North 24 Parganas district of West Bengal. The counting of the seized cash, which began on Wednesday evening, continued throughout the night. After four rounds of counting in the presence of bank officials and officers from different departments, police officially confirmed the recovered amount in the early hours of Thursday.

The police had arrested Dipankar Bhattacharya from a hotel on Monday, during which around Rs 80 lakh in cash was allegedly recovered from his possession. On Tuesday, a court remanded him to six days of police custody.

On Wednesday, investigators took Bhattacharya to a piece of land near a Trinamool Congress office. During excavation at a spot inside a jute field, police recovered a huge quantity of cash packed inside bags. Officers seized four trolley bags and one sack filled with currency notes from the location. Eyewitnesses claimed that the bags were stuffed with bundles of Rs 500 notes.

Initially, police sources had estimated the recovery at around Rs 80 lakh, but the final count was pending. Due to the massive volume of cash, counting machines were used. Police later confirmed that the total amount recovered from the field stood at Rs 2.24 crore.

Following Bhattacharya’s arrest on Monday night, police had also recovered nearly 4,000 government tarpaulins and another Rs 80 lakh from a closed computer centre linked to the Baduria Municipality. With crores of rupees recovered so far, several questions have emerged regarding the source of the money.

At the local level, allegations are being raised that the cash could be linked to corruption in housing schemes or illegal collection activities. However, police have not officially confirmed any such claims and stated that a detailed investigation into the matter is ongoing.

---------------

Hindusthan Samachar / Priyanka Pandey