CBI Arrests Trinamool's Birbhum District Chief Anubrata Mondal In Cattle Smuggling Scam

Prominent Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Anubrata Mondal was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Thursday (August 11) in connection to a cattle smuggling case, prompting cries of protest from the party and the official announcement of a protest march against the arrest.

The CBI team arrived at the residence of the Trinamool's Birbhum district chief along with Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel to arrest him on the back of his lawyers claiming that Anubrata needed two weeks minimum before he could appear for questioning.

CBI Nabs Anubrata Mondal

The CBI sent an official report to its headquarters on Wednesday explaining how the TMC leader sought more time to face interrogation even after not replying to the summons for the 10th time in the cattle smuggling case.

When the investigators arrived at his house on Thursday, they first surrounded the premises before moving in, reported NDTV. Furthermore, the Trinamool district chief is renowned for being a local strongman.

Reports also revealed that all the doors of his residence were locked from the inside. However, the CBI eventually arrested him and cited non-cooperation with the investigation into the cattle smuggling case. He was then brought to the state capital, Kolkata.

Anubrata & Cattle Smuggling Case!

Previously, Mondal's doctor had prescribed bed rest for him, and numerous reports suggested that he was planning to go for an operation to treat a fistula. However, the authorities in state-run SSKM Hospital stated that he did not need hospitalisation.

The CBI has filed four charge sheets in the cattle smuggling scam and has named 11 accused. Saigal Hossain, Mondal's bodyguard, was also arrested in the case. The CBI has claimed that the TMC strongman's bodyguard played a pivotal role in moving money between Mondal and cattle smugglers. The agency has also alleged that Hossain has also amassed properties worth crores of rupees.

Anubrata Mondal's arrest marked the second high-profile crackdown on alleged corruption by central agencies after the arrest of former TMC minister Partha Chatterjee and his aide Arpita Mukherjee in the Staff Selection Commission, or SSC Scam. More than ₹50 crores in cash were seized from Mukherjee's different houses during a raid by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and her party had come under severe criticism over Mr Chatterjee's arrest. Mr Modal's arrest, too, is likely to give more ammo to the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) to attack Bengal CM for alleged corruption by leaders of her party.

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