KOLKATA: In a 204-page supplementary charge sheet submitted by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the cattle smuggling case before a Delhi court on Thursday, the central agency mentioned BSF's (Border Security Force) direct involvement and nexus with the suspects helping them to provide passage to deliver cattle to Bangladesh.
It may be recalled that Trinamool Congress strongman Anubrata Mondal and his daughter Sukanya were arrested in connection with the case.
According to ED sources, on the basis of investigation under Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), the total proceeds of the crime stands at Rs 77.56 crore. "The volume of the amount may be more as the probe is still going on," said an ED official.
The TMC leaders see in the central agency's findings a political tool to target the BJP-led government at the Centre, since BSF comes under the Ministry of Home Affairs.
"All truck drivers transporting the cattle of this syndicate were given a PAD (Token). A PAD/ token was an identification so that there is no hindrance by local administration or police authority in the transportation of cattle. Each truck driver was given directions towards the border outpost (BOP) at Nimitita, Khandua and Giria situated in Murshidabad district under the 36- Battalion of the BSF. The drivers had to deliver these cattle for further smuggling through local operatives. Mostly the cattle used to be sent through the border between 11 PM and 3 AM in connivance with BSF officials," said an ED official quoting the charge sheet.
While addressing a rally in Murshidabad district on Friday, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee slammed the Centre on the issue of cattle smuggling.
"BSF is directly involved in the cattle smuggling and it is a central agency. The BSF is responsible for guarding the border. How can they not be held accountable if cows are being smuggled from right under their nose? Our party functionaries are being maligned to hide their failure," she said.
Last year, the CBI arrested the commandant of the BSF's 36 Battalion Satish Kumar in connection with cattle smuggling and the ED also later took him into custody. Kumar is presently in Tihar jail.
Mamata, who is also Trinamool Congress’s chairperson, and her nephew Abhishek Banerjee, also the national general secretary of the party, have been constantly raising the issue of the BSF's involvement.
TMC minister Firhad Hakim said the central probe agency finally agreed with what his party has been claiming for long. He also questioned why cattle smuggling cases before 2011, during the Left Front regime in Bengal, are being left out.
"We have repeatedly raised our voices and pointed out that it is the central force that guards the border is responsible for cattle smuggling across the border areas," Hakim added.