Kolkata, Mar 20 (PTI) Ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, search operations by income tax sleuths are underway on Wednesday at the residence of Trinamool Congress leader Swarup Biswas who is the brother of a West Bengal minister, an official said.

The raids, which are continuing for more than 12 hours, are part of an investigation into alleged tax invasion by two real estate companies, he said.

Also Read | Jammu and Kashmir: Srinagar Court Sentences Bihar Man to 8 Years Rigorous Imprisonment for Raping Minor.

"Sleuths of the Income Tax Department's investigation wing are conducting search operations at five locations related to Swarup Biswas in the city. Some of the locations where the search operations are going on are in New Alipore and Behala areas," the I-T official told PTI.

Swarup Biswas is the brother of minister Aroop Biswas.

Also Read | Indian Student Kidnapped in US: Hyderabad Student Goes Missing in Cleveland, Family Receives USD 12,000 Ransom Call.

The search operations are in connection with a "probe into allegations of tax evasion and possession of disproportionate assets by the two realty groups", the official said.

During the investigation, the existence of shell companies came to the notice of the sleuths, he said, adding that the premises of officials of the two real estate firms are also being raided.

The search operations started around 7 am, he added.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)