The Enforcement Directorate on Monday morning (September 7, 2026) began search operations across seven premises in Kolkata, Delhi and Ranchi as part of a money laundering investigation against Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha MP Nadimul Haque, who is the proprietor of an Urdu daily.

Since 2004, the 56-year-old Mr. Haque, a journalist and businessman, has been serving as director of Akhbar-E-Mashriq Pvt Ltd, which publishes the daily Akhbar-E-Mashriq. Founded in 1980, the daily circulates its editions across six cities, including Delhi, Kolkata, Ranchi, Lucknow, Bhopal, and Srinagar. The MP has served as the head of West Bengal Urdu Akademi.

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According to the officials, the case pertains to allegations concerning the publication or dissemination of material promoting communal disharmony and also contains allegations regarding illegal transactions, unaccounted cash transactions, and funding from suspicious sources.

The case stemmed from an FIR lodged under the Bidhannagar Police Commissionerate. Based on the FIR, the ED had also lodged an Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR). 

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Mr. Haque is also one of the Rajya Sabha MPs who have remained loyal to Mamata Banerjee after her defeat in the 2026 state Assembly election. Four Rajya Sabha MPs of the party have resigned, three of whom have later also been re-elected to the Upper House with the support of Bharatiya Janata Party.