Kolkata: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) officials probing the multi-crore West Bengal cattle smuggling case have started taking initiative for fresh questioning of Sehgal Hossain, the bodyguard of the prime accused of the case, and Trinamool Congress strongman Anubrata Mondal.
Both Hossain and Mondal are currently serving judicial custody at Tihar Jail in Delhi, and according to sources, the CBI officials have already started the process for getting the legal nod for fresh questioning of Hossain within the correctional home premises.
It has been learnt that new evidence have been sourced by the CBI officials after the recent questioning of two Customs officers who had been posted along the India-Bangladesh border in West Bengal’s Murshidabad district, when cattle smuggling through that area was at its peak.
Since Hossain was the link between Mondal and different beneficiaries of the cattle smuggling racket, a need had surfaced to question him again.
“If, after quizzing Hossain, the necessity arises, we might also go for a fresh questioning of Mondal and seek the permission of the court for that,” a CBI source said.
Customs is the second central government department after Border Security Force (BSF) that has come under the scanner of central investigation agencies like CBI and Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with the scam.
Earlier, the CBI even arrested BSF commandant Satish Kumar in the course of the agency’s on-going probe into the scam.
Recently, the ED had submitted its charge sheet in this matter where it had mentioned the involvement of the BSF officials in the alleged scam.
In the chargesheet, the CBI has mentioned details of how the cattle were smuggled from a cattle-trading hub at Mohammad Bazar in Birbhum district, taken to the borders of the adjacent Murshidabad district and subsequently sent out of the border in connivance with a section of BSF officials posted there.
(IANS)
