TMC leader quizzed by CBI in cattle smuggling case

Kolkata, May 19: Trinamool Congress leader Anubrata Mondal was on Thursday interrogated by the CBI in connection with its investigation into a cattle smuggling case in West Bengal.

 Mondal, the TMC’s Birbhum district president, reached the CBI office at Nizam Palace here around 9.45 am.

 “The investigating officer in the case is interrogating him. He will be asked around 24 questions set by our detectives in connection with his alleged involvement in the scam,” an officer of the agency said adding that he is cooperating.

 The TMC leader has earlier been summoned by the investigating agency for questioning several times, but he did not appear once citing ill-health.

 Meanwhile, Calcutta HC has asked a WB minister to appear before CBI after landing in Kolkata.

  The Calcutta High court on Thursday directed West Bengal Minister of State for Education Paresh Chandra Adhikari to appear before the CBI soon after he lands here this evening for questioning in connection with a case of alleged illegal appointment of his daughter as a teacher in a state government-aided school.

     After Adhikari’s lawyer submitted that he is in Coochbehar in the northern part of the state and will travel by flight to Kolkata on Thursday evening, Justice Abhijit Gangopadhyay asked the Bidhannagar police to take him to the CBI office as soon as possible after he lands at the NSC Bose Airport here.

                The court directed the Commissioner of Bidhannagar Police Commissionerate to get in touch with the airport authority so that soon after the minister comes out of the flight, he can be taken by the force to the CBI office.

                The court also said that if Adhikari is not on the flight, it will be treated as a hoax created to save himself from the court and the CBI and, in that case, the matter will be dealt with accordingly.

  The matter will be taken up again on Friday at 10.30 am