Bengal CID summons Assam businessman in Jharkhand MLAs' cash seizure case

The businessman could not be reached for comment as his mobile phones were switched off.
Huge amount of cash which was found in a vehicle in which three Jharkhand Congress MLAs Irfan Ansari, Rajesh Kachhap and Naman Viksal Kongadi, were traveling, at Ranihati. (Photo | PTI)
Huge amount of cash which was found in a vehicle in which three Jharkhand Congress MLAs Irfan Ansari, Rajesh Kachhap and Naman Viksal Kongadi, were traveling, at Ranihati. (Photo | PTI)

GUWAHATI: West Bengal Police has summoned Assam-based businessman Ashok Kumar Dhanuka in connection with its investigation into the Jharkhand MLAs' cash seizure case.

According to sources, the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of West Bengal pasted a notice on the gate of Dhanuka's residence here, asking him to appear before its investigators in Kolkata on Monday.

The businessman could not be reached for comment as his mobile phones were switched off.

Three Congress MLAs from Jharkhand - Irfan Ansari, Rajesh Kachchap and Naman Bixal Kongari - were arrested by West Bengal Police on July 31 after Rs 49 lakh in cash was seized from a car in which they were travelling.

The West Bengal CID took over the investigation from the Howrah Rural Police.

It is not immediately known when sleuths of the neighbouring state pasted the notice on the gate of Dhanuka's residence.

However, on August 3, a four-member team of the West Bengal CID had visited the BJP-ruled Assam as part of the investigation in the cash seizure case.

The team wanted to collect CCTV footage of the Guwahati airport as it was alleged that the three Jharkhand MLAs had reached the Assam capital on July 29 and left the city the next day.

The Congress, which is a part of the JMM-led government in Jharkhand, alleged that the BJP was trying to topple the Hemant Soren government by offering Rs 10 crore each and a ministerial berth to MLAs.

The party has also dragged in the name of the Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma in the alleged conspiracy, but these allegations were rubbished by the BJP, which claimed that the grand old party was trying to hide its own corruption after the cash was found.

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