The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Thursday got 10-day custody of Trinamool Congress minister Anubrata Mondal, who was arrested by the central agency earlier this morning in connection with a cattle smuggling case in West Bengal.
Mondal, a close aide of Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee, was arrested after almost an hour-long interrogation by a CBI team that arrived at the Birbhum district president's house early on Thursday.
A special court in Asansol granted 10-day custody of the Birbhum candidate despite the CBI praying for 14-day custody.
Outside the Asansol court where he was produced, there were slogans of 'chor, chor' from an angry crowd. The people gathered outside the court were seen throwing shoes and chanting anti-Mondal slogans.
The CBI had on Tuesday summoned Mondal to come to its city office for questioning in connection with their investigation, a day after the TMC leader skipped appearing before its officers. Mondal had visited the city on Monday but instead of going to the CBI office went to the SSKM Hospital for a check-up.
Doctors at the state-run medical facility had advised him to come back after two months stating that he was only having a few chronic diseases. After that, the TMC leader straightaway left for his Bolpur residence. He has been questioned twice thus far by the central agency, which in the recent past also conducted raids at various locations in the district in connection with the case. Mondal's bodyguard Saigal Hossain has also been arrested by the probe agency.
The TMC leader, who often made headlines for his off-the-cuff remarks on various issues, has been asked by the CBI to appear before it on several occasions in connection with its probe into the cattle scam. In the past, too, Mondal skipped summonses citing ill health.
Also Read | Cattle smuggling case: CBI arrests TMC leader Anubrata Mondal for not cooperating in probe
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