Kolkata: A team of Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) officials escorted by a huge contingent of central armed forces personnel on Thursday morning reached the Bolpur- residence of Trinamool Congress strongman, Anubrata Mondal. The central agency is investigating the cattle smuggling case in West Bengal. After the Trinamool Congress's Birbhum district president ignored ten consecutive summons from the CBI, the central agency's top brass decided not to wait anymore and instead reached his residence on Thursday morning.
A team of CBI officials led by the agency's superintendent (anti- corruption branch), Rajeev Mishra, along with the team of central armed forces personnel had reached Bolpur late Wednesday night. Around 9.50 a.m., the team of CBI and central armed personnel reached Mondal's residence. First, the central armed forces cordoned the entire residential building from all points. Thereafter the CBI officials got divided into two teams.
One team entered the residence from the main front gate, while the other entered through the other gate at the back side of the building."The decision to reach his doorsteps was taken on Wednesday evening only after we became definite how desperate Mondal is to avoid the summons for which he even got bed-rest advice by pressurising a doctor of the Bolpur Sub-divisional Hospital. We even talked to the doctor concerned and he also said that he was forced to give the bed-rest advice in plain paper both from his higher authorities as well as Mandal. So, before he could adopt any further method to duck interrogation, we decided to reach his house," a CBI official said.
Mondal was arrested after an almost hour-long interrogation by CBI sleuths at his residence. After entering the residence, the CBI first asked the private security personnel posted there to move out of the building and also directed the central armed forces personnel not to allow anyone to enter. The CBI officers also seized all the mobile phones from everyone present at the building while the raid was conducted. It is learnt that the CBI team is also carrying a court order with them that empowers them to conduct search operations at Mondal's residence.
"We have arrested him for non-cooperation in the investigation into the cattle smuggling scam. We have found Mr Mondal's direct involvement in the scam. We will question him today and take the necessary action as per law," the official told the media. The CBI served a notice to the TMC leader under Section 41 of CrPC before arresting him, he said.
Mondal had twice skipped his scheduled appearance before the central probe agency in the last few days, citing ill-health.
Earlier in the day, a CBI team comprising at least eight officers along with personnel of central forces reached Mondal's residence around 10 am, and conducted a search operation, as part of the probe.
Mondal was grilled in a room on the second floor of his residence, the official said. He said the CBI would also question the doctor of a Bolpur hospital who had prescribed Mondal bed rest for 14 days. Sleuths of the probe agency are conducting raids at residences of several close associates of the TMC leader as well, the official added. Mondal has been questioned twice by the CBI, which in the recent past conducted raids at various locations in the district in connection with the case. His bodyguard Saigal Hossain has also been arrested by the central agency. (with Agency inputs)
