The Income Tax Department has carried out searches related to a prominent coal trader of West Bengal having premises in Raniganj, Asansol, Purulia and Kolkata.

The searches on Thursday were based on intelligence gathered by the department, which indicated that large scale unaccounted cash was being generated and used for various purposes.

The searches have led to seizure of documents indicating that companies of the assessee group held bogus investments in unquoted equity shares of paper concerns to the magnitude of around Rs 150 crore, out of which investments of around Rs 145 crore have been sold, the department said in a statement.

These sale transactions were found to be sham transactions and have been admitted by the assessee in the statement recorded during the searches, it added.

The searches also led to seizure of a substantial number of incriminating documents showing cash generation in coal and sand trading, sponge iron sales etc.

Documents have also been seized indicating huge unaccounted expenses for facilitation of coal  transport and various trading activities, the I-T department said.

The searches have led to seizure of unaccounted cash and bullion of around Rs 7.3 crore. The probe continues.