Siliguri, 16th May: In a significant breakthrough, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has arrested the mastermind in a gold smuggling case. The arrested accused has been identified as Suman Karmakar (46), a resident of Dinhata.
It is to be noted that, acting on a tip-off on April 10, the DRI Siliguri Unit arrested three individuals namely, Bidhu Bhushan Roy (58), Dinesh Pareek (45), and Manoj Kumar Sinha (44) from Salbari and Jalpai More, in connection to a gold smuggling case. Additionally, DRI had seized 1 kg 443.50 grams gold worth Rs 1 crore 2 lakh 92 thousand 155, and Rs 81 lakh 50 thousand in cash.
Subsequently, during a detailed investigation and interrogation of the accused, the DRI team learned that the smugglers planned to transport the gold to Siliguri from the Indo-Bangladesh border via Cooch Behar, under mastermind Suman Karmakar, a Dinhata-based gold trader. The arrested accused Bidhu Bhushan Roy had purchased gold from Suman Karmakar’s store.
Following this, the DRI forwarded a notice to Suman Karmakar for interrogation. However, Suman Karmakar allegedly did not appear before the DRI on the first notice, prompting a second notice by the DRI. Responding to the notice, Suman Karmakar reached the DRI, Siliguri Unit office on Wednesday. Suman was arrested following an interrogation.
On Thursday, the DRI produced the accused before the Siliguri court. In this regard, defense lawyer Akhil Biswas stated that the DRI had called his client for interrogation and arrested him. He added that his client has no involvement in the gold smuggling case.