Trinamool 'gold man' arrested again

The brother of an influential member of North 24-Parganas Zilla Parishad, who was arrested by the Central Board of Excise and Customs at Kalini near Deganga in March for allegedly smuggling 44.65kg gold, has been arrested again, reports the 'Times of India'.

Abdul Barik Biswas was re-arrested on Wednesday after his bail plea was rejected by Calcutta high court. Apart from the gold worth Rs 13 crore, police had also seized two revolvers and cartridges from him. Abdul Barik is brother of Gholam Biswas, a top Trinamool Congress leader from Basirhat in West Bengal's North 24-Paraganas district.

According to sources in the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), Biswas will be taken in custody again. The income tax department is also likely to start a probe against him.

Biswas, who used to be a small-time cattle trader, got into the gold smuggling racket gradually.

The Income Tax department is keen on investigating the books of accounts of the companies he had floated sometime back.

Biswas was one of the directors in at least three companies. While one of them is an agro-processing company, the other two have presence in real estate.

I-T officials feel his book of accounts might provide more important leads to the source of his ill-gotten income.

His lawyer Gopal Haldar had earlier alleged a frame-up, saying that Biswas was going to attend his brother-in-law's wedding when a local resident requested a lift in his car.

The local, Azizul, was carrying bags that Biswas did not bother to look into. The moment the car was intercepted by the investigating agencies, Azizul fled, leaving the bags behind.

Trinamul Congress leader Abdul Barik Biswas. Photo: 24ghanta.com

Following Biswas' arrest, the Left Front had filed a complaint with the Election Commission against him.

Biswas is brother of Golam Biswas, a Trinamool zilla parishad member of North 24-Parganas.

Biswas' business had a stellar rise after he got in touch with local political bosses. He was close to CPM earlier and was quick to change camp after Trinamool rose to power.

His alleged proximity to Trinamool leader and zilla parishad office bearer Narayan Goswami also allegedly contributed to his success, the 'Times of India' report said.

Although Biswas is learnt to have funded a few programmes organized by Trinamool in the district, party leaders have denied any link with him.

After his arrest, Biswas was produced in Bankshall court and remanded in judicial custody till March 12. Later, he was granted bail. But the case has taken a significant turn after Justice Ashim Kumar Roy rejected his bail plea on Wednesday. Sleuths feel his arrest will help bust cross-border gold smuggling rackets.