November 15, 2024: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday seized approximately ₹3 crore in cash from a businessman’s residence in Kolkata, as part of its ongoing investigation into a large-scale lottery scam. The raids, which are part of a broader crackdown, have targeted multiple locations across West Bengal since Thursday.

According to an official statement from the ED, the raid was carried out at the businessman’s residence on Kavi Bharati Sarani, located in the southern part of Kolkata. During the operation, a significant amount of cash was uncovered. The exact total is still being tallied, as the counting process is ongoing with the help of a note-counting machine brought to the scene.

The ED has also been conducting similar searches at other locations in the region. In Madhyamgram, located in North 24 Parganas district, officials focused their efforts on a building in Micheal Nagar. The premises were reportedly being used both as an office and a warehouse (godown) for the alleged lottery scam operation.

While details about the specific nature of the scam remain under investigation, the ED's actions are part of a larger probe into illicit activities related to fraudulent lottery schemes operating in the state.

The seizure of such a large sum of money has raised questions about the scale of the alleged scam, and further investigations are expected in the coming days.