Trinamool leader's bail rejected, custody extended till Aug 24

A special Central Bureau of Investigation court in Asansol on Saturday rejected Trinamool Congress leader Anubrata Mondal's bail plea in the alleged cattle smuggling scam and extended his custody with the central agency for four days till August 24.

Describing Mondal as a 'very powerful and highly influential person', the CBI appealed for an extension of the TMC leader's custody stating that he could 'influence witnesses and tamper or manipulate evidence if granted bail'.

The TMC Birbhum district president's counsel had appealed for bail citing his 'health condition'.

His counsel also claimed that the amount in fixed deposits found by the CBI detectives were the money which Mondal got from life insurance policies following his wife's death.

The CBI lawyer said that Mondal has been 'non-cooperative from the very beginning' despite being issued summonses 10 times.

The counsel also claimed that Mondal had 'pressurised' a doctor to prescribe 'complete rest'.

'Mr Mondal has good contact with the state government. He has used his bodyguard Saigal Hossain as a mediator. He used to take money from Enamul Haque. This entire business does not belong to a single man, but it is a chain. There is a conspiracy behind it. Anubrata Mondal has an important role. So he should be in CBI custody,' the CBI lawyer said in the court.

In an earlier charge sheet submitted before the Special Court, Asansol, the CBI had alleged that Haque was the organiser of this illegal trade and was assisted by others.

Mondal was arrested from his home in Bolpur, Birbhum district, on August 11 by the CBI in connection with its investigation into the alleged cattle smuggling scam.

Earlier in the day, Mondal denied allegations of his non-cooperation with the central investigating agency, saying he has been cooperating with the CBI in the ongoing probe into the cattle smuggling scam.

Mondal, while being taken out of the CBI's Kolkata office, also rubbished claims of the investigating agency about his owing properties worth several crores registered in different names.

"I have always cooperated with CBI officers. And I do not have any property registered in any other name," Mondal told reporters.

CBI officers have claimed that Mondal has been not cooperating with them whenever he is being interrogated.

The Special CBI court here had earlier ordered Mondal to be held in custody till August 20.

Meanwhile, the CBI sleuths had found six vehicles on the campus of a rice mill they had raided on Friday.

They were looking into the ownership of the high-end vehicles parked inside the premises of the mill and trying to find out whether the vehicles were used in cattle smuggling activities.

The raid was conducted at a rice mill in Bolpur allegedly owned by Mondal as a part of the ongoing probe into the alleged cattle smuggling scam, the CBI had said.