ED Detects Rs 60 Crore Financial Irregularities in Media Entity Owned by Trinamool MP

September 8, 2026

Kolkata: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has reportedly detected financial irregularities worth around Rs 60 crore during its search operations at a media entity owned by Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha MP Nadimul Haque, sources said.

The agency’s search operation at Akhbar-e-Mashriq, a multi-edition Urdu newspaper, began on Monday morning and continued until early Tuesday. ED officials examined financial records and digital documents at the organisation’s office in the Park Circus area of central Kolkata.

ED Examines Suspected Hawala Transactions

According to sources, investigators found what they described as doubtful transactions involving possible hawala links. The ED is probing allegations that Trinamool Congress party funds were allegedly routed through the media entity.

The agency examined bank transaction records and several digital documents during the search. Officials reportedly said they could not find proper supporting evidence for transactions involving the Rs 60 crore amount.

Haque was also questioned by ED officials for an extended period during the investigation. Sources said he was unable to provide satisfactory answers regarding some of the transactions.

The agency is now examining whether the suspicious transactions were conducted through hawala channels.

ED Raids Seven Locations

The ED seized several paper and digital documents from the Akhbar-e-Mashriq office, which will now be scrutinised to identify further financial irregularities.

On Monday, simultaneous searches were conducted at seven locations linked to Haque across Kolkata, Delhi and Ranchi. These included the newspaper’s main office at Park Circus and the Trinamool MP’s residence on Darga Road in south Kolkata. ED officials also reportedly reached the residence of Haque’s son-in-law.

Akhbar-e-Mashriq publishes editions from Delhi, Ranchi, Asansol, Siliguri, Bhopal, Lucknow and Srinagar.

The allegations and findings are part of an ongoing ED investigation, and further details are expected after the agency completes its examination of the seized documents.