Overview
- Tax officials, who searched sites tied to the MLA and his associates on April 17, seized diamond jewelry, gold and bullion worth about ₹1.75 crore and recovered ₹6 lakh in cash.
- Preliminary checks found valuables not listed in Debashis Kumar’s election affidavit, including diamond jewelry and bullion, along with gaps between gold declared and gold found.
- The department has issued notices seeking the source and ownership of the assets, and it has sent a report to the Election Commission of India and the West Bengal Chief Electoral Officer.
- After a High Court writ petition delayed access, inspection of bullion linked to associate Miraj D. Shah found 8.08 kg with foreign hallmarks, which officials have routed to the DRI for a customs review.
- Investigators are reassessing related cases and reviewing the MLA’s spouse’s tax filings and associates’ roles, with all findings described as preliminary and subject to further verification.