According to sources within the central agency, Sona Pappu allegedly ran a large-scale racket involving the forceful seizure of others' land at dirt-cheap rates—often through intimidation and the exertion of influence—only to subsequently resell those properties at exorbitant prices. In connection with this very case, Shantanu Sinha Biswas—who was serving as a Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) at the time—had been arrested previously. Concurrently, businessman Jay S. Kamdar was also ensnared by the ED on charges of fraud. It was through leads obtained from these individuals that Sona Pappu's name first surfaced in the investigation. Investigators have also claimed to have recovered several crucial documents during a recent search conducted at his farmhouse.
Prior to this development, rumors had been circulating that Sona Pappu had gone missing in the aftermath of the Kakulia bombing incident. However, upon appearing at the CGO Complex on Monday afternoon to answer a summons, he asserted that he had been at home all along and denied having any connection whatsoever to the bombing incident. He further claimed that at the time of the Kakulia incident, he was performing a *puja* (religious ritual) at his residence, and his wife was recording a live video of the ceremony. Nevertheless, ED officials maintain that the businessman failed to provide satisfactory answers to critical questions—specifically regarding where the crores of rupees amassed through land fraud had been invested, and which other influential individuals might be operating behind the scenes of this illicit operation. It is alleged that he repeatedly altered his statements throughout the course of the interrogation.