In a high-stakes operation ahead of the upcoming Assembly Elections, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) recovered an illegal firearm during a raid at the residence of businessman Vishwajit Poddar, alias Sona Pappu, in South Kolkata’s Kasba area. According to ED sources, the weapon found during Wednesday morning’s search lacked a valid license. The firearm was immediately seized and handed over to Gariahat Police Station for further legal proceedings under the Arms Act.

Beyond the unlicensed weapon, the ED also confiscated a high-end luxury car and numerous property deeds from Sona Pappu’s residence. Investigators suspect that these assets are linked to large-scale financial irregularities or money laundering activities. The raid was part of a broader crackdown on black money and illegal transactions, with simultaneous searches conducted in Behala and other parts of the city. While the businessman’s family has yet to issue a statement, the sudden recovery of a weapon at a prominent businessman’s house has triggered a massive political row in poll-bound West Bengal. Agency officials are now scrutinizing the seized documents to trace the source of the funds used for these acquisitions.