NEW DELHI: Senior Trinamool Congress leader Anubrata Mondal, who was arrested by CBI in a cattle smuggling case on Thursday, allegedly provided protection to smugglers in return for regular payments, officials said.
The CBI has alleged that Vikas Mishra, brother of absconding TMC leader Vinay Mishra, and Mondal provided protection to associates of alleged cattle smuggler Enamul Haq who used to buy animals at a market in Ilambazar, the officials said.
The smugglers used to ferry animals from Ilambazar to Indo-Bangla border under the alleged protection of Mondal and Mishra from state enforcement agencies, they said.
They used services of some BSF officials, including charge sheeted Satish Kumar, to get these cattle smuggled to Bangaldesh, the officials said.
The CBI arrested Mondal from his residence in West Bengal's Bolpur after he skipped his scheduled appearance before the central probe agency twice in three days, an official said.
Earlier in the day, a CBI team comprising at least eight officers, along with personnel of central forces, reached the Birbhum district president's residence around 10 am, and conducted a search operation, as part of the investigation.
Mondal was grilled in a room on the second floor of his residence for almost an hour, the official said.
"It was also alleged that the accused persons were organizing and patronizing large scale cattle smuggling to a neighbouring country and collecting huge money from other persons," the CBI said in a statement.
The agency said it was revealed that the accused procured a huge number of cattle from Ilambazar 'pashuhat' and ensured safe passage for transportation of cattle to the international border.
"The CBI filed a charge sheet on February 6, 2021 against seven accused and further filed three supplementary charge sheets on February 23, 2021, November 24, 2021 and August 8, 2022 against several other accused before the competent court. Further investigation was continuing to unearth larger conspiracy," a CBI spokesperson said.
Meanwhile, the ruling TMC said the party was keeping a close watch on the situation.
"The party will take an appropriate decision at the right time. But, we want to make it clear that TMC will not compromise on any instance of corruption," MP Santanu Sen said.
Sen added that the party has "zero tolerance" on corruption and wrongdoings.
The top TMC leadership will likely meet in the evening to take a call on the issue.
The BJP, which is the main opposition party in West Bengal, alleged that Mondal's arrest proves the ruling party was neck-deep in corruption and demanded a statement from Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
"It is time the CM comes out with a statement on the arrest of Mondal. We all know he was close to the top TMC leadership," BJP national vice-president Dilip Ghosh said.
CPI(M) leader Sujan Chakraborty claimed that Mondal considered himself above the law in Birbhum district and the TMC leadership "turned a blind eye to his misdeeds".