Photo: Enforcement Directorate Cracks Down on Sex Racket in Bengal, Seizes Over ₹1 Crore and Luxury Cars (Representative Image)
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) intensified its probe into an organized immoral trafficking and sex racket operating through bar-cum-restaurants and dance bars in West Bengal. On November 7, 2025, extensive raids were conducted simultaneously at multiple locations across Bidhannagar in North 24 Parganas district, Kolkata, and Siliguri.
Seizures and Assets Frozen
The coordinated search operations resulted in the seizure of over ₹1.01 crore in cash, along with digital devices, property-related documents, and the freezing of two high-end luxury vehicles—a Land Rover Defender and a Jaguar—under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). Several bank accounts linked to the accused were also identified for handling the illicit proceeds.
Investigation and Modus Operandi
The investigation revealed that the accused individuals, including Jagjit Singh, Ajmal Siddiqui, and Bishnu Mundra, exploited vulnerable women by luring them with false promises of employment and coercing them into prostitution. These activities generated substantial illegal cash, which was laundered through multiple shell companies owned or controlled by the accused. The racket was run predominantly through bar-cum-restaurant setups, facilitating human trafficking and money laundering.
Legal Proceedings and Further Actions
Multiple FIRs were registered by the West Bengal Police under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), Arms Act, and the Immoral Traffic Prevention Act, 1986, which are scheduled offences under the PMLA, 2002. The ED’s ongoing probe continues to trace the complete money trail, identify additional assets, and uncover potential international linkages of the racket.
This major crackdown highlights the ED’s commitment to dismantling organized crime syndicates involved in human trafficking and financial corruption in West Bengal.
