WB: CBI Arrests TMC Leader Anubrata Mondal in Cattle Smuggling Case

Kolkata: Birbhum District President of Trinamool Congress Anubrata Mondal was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in a cow smuggling case on Thursday morning from his Bolpur residence. A special CBI team conducted the raid at his home. News agency PTI broke the news via Twitter stating, “TMC leader Anubrata Mondal arrested for not cooperating with CBI in cattle smuggling probe”.

According to CBI sources, the investigating agency has multiple shreds of evidence against Anubrata Mondal in the cow smuggling case and the central investigation agency wanted to interrogate over the same. Anubrata Mondal is known to be the most controversial TMC leader and has threatened the opposition on several occasions.

CBI officials reached Anubrata’s residence in Bolpur at 9.50 a.m. on Thursday to interrogate him in the cow smuggling case. The CBI officials were accompanied by a large force of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF). After a little over an hour of questioning, CBI arrested him. A notice under 41A of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) has been issued to him as an accused in the cow smuggling case. According to sources, he may be produced at Asansol Court or he may be interrogated there. However, there is still no confirmation about where he will be taken.

Anubrata Mondal became a member of Trinamool's national working committee from the district president. The arrest of this heavyweight leader by the CBI has caused great discomfort in the Trinamool camp.

Earlier, Anubrata Mondal faced the CBI only once despite having been served with notices several times in the cow smuggling case. Last Monday, Anubrata Mondal was summoned by the CBI but he skipped the appearance citing physical illness. After coming to Kolkata, he underwent a physical examination at SSKM Hospital and returned to Bolpur. On the same day, SSKM informed the investigating agency that there was no need for him to be admitted to the hospital. On Wednesday he was again summoned by the CBI but he remained at his home in Bolpur. 

According to sources, a delegation of 35 people from CBI reached the guest house of Ratankuti in Bolpur at midnight. Bank employees were also called by the CBI along with officials from the CBI camp in Asansol.

On February 14 this year, the central investigating agency summoned Anubrata Mondal for the first time in the cow smuggling case. He had not appeared citing physical illness. On February 25, a notice was sent to him to appear again on behalf of the CBI. On that day too, Anubrata avoided attendance, citing physical illness. After that, he was summoned about 10 times, but he appeared only once on May 19 and was interrogated for about 4 hours.