Radioactive material seized in Kolkata

Kolkata: The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of West Bengal has seized radioactive element Californium, worth Rs 4,250 crore, from two persons in Kolkata airport area on Thursday.

The two, Sailan Karmakar (41) and Asit Ghosh (49), arrested by the CID team are residents of Hooghly district.

Acting on a tip off, the CID seized four pieces of ash-coloured stones, weighing about 250.5 grams, from the two. The radio-active element was found engraved inside the stones. The cost of Californium is around Rs 17 cr per gram.


Californium is a radioactive element and a very good source of neutrons and this property makes it useful in a nuclear power plant. Californium, named after California University, is a radio metallic chemical element.

CID is investigating the source of the Californium and how the two persons got access to such radio-active material, which is harmful for people.