Kolkata, February 9 The Enforcement Directorate (ED) summoned the in-charge of the Budbud police station in West Bengal's Paschim Bardhaman district for questioning in connection with a coal smuggling case, official sources said.
The in-charge, Manoranjan Mondal, was summoned days after the central agency conducted searches at his residence, during which several documents were seized.
The police station falls under the jurisdiction of the Asansol Durgapur Police Commissionerate.
"The questioning is related to the ongoing investigation into the coal smuggling racket," an official said.
The central investigating agency has also summoned Chinmoy Mondal, who is reportedly a close associate of coal smuggling accused Lala, in the same case.
Investigators believe that Chinmoy was "one of the key operatives" in the alleged racket, he said.
The development comes ahead of the state elections, with the agency stepping up its action in several high-profile cases.
Earlier, the ED had conducted searches at the residence of IPAC founder Pratik Jain and at the organization's office in an old coal smuggling case, triggering political controversy.
The matter was later taken up by the high court and subsequently by the Supreme Court.
Following those developments, ED Director Rahul Navin held high-level meetings with officials in Kolkata to review investigations into coal, sand, and other major cases, sources said.
As part of the intensified probe, the ED has questioned several businessmen in recent days and conducted searches on February 3 at multiple locations, including Raniganj and Jamuria in the Asansol area.
During one such search, nearly Rs 1.5 crore in cash was recovered from a businessman's warehouse in Jamuria.
Sources allege that large sums were paid as "protection money" in the coal smuggling case, and that the transactions had alleged links to the Budbud police station in-charge.
"Investigators are examining the alleged flow of funds and the role of various individuals," he said.