Kolkata: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has again summoned Trinamool Congress strongman and the party’s Birbhum district president, Anubrata Mandal, in connection with the post-poll violence case in West Bengal in which the central agency sleuths have been conducting a thorough investigation.
Mandal was summoned at the CBI’s office at central government office (CGO) complex at Salt Lake in the northern outskirts of Kolkata on Thursday afternoon.
Incidentally, Mandal has avoided CBI summons in this connection twice. Last time, he was asked to be present at the CBI office at Salt Lake on May 27. However, he avoided that summon under the pretext of medical complications and sought 15 days time from the CBI for next appearance. Mandal is currently at the residence at Bolpur in Birbhum district.
Currently CBI sleuths are trying to interrogate Mandal in two parallel cases, the first being on post-poll violence and the second on cattle & coal smuggling cases in West Bengal. The CBI has also summoned a two-time Trinamool Congress MLA from Canning (East) assembly constituency, Saokat Molla in connection with the coal smuggling case.
But like Mandal, Molla too has avoided the central agency summon. Till this report was filed, there was no communication from either Mandal or his counsels whether he would be present at the CBI office at Salt Lake on Thursday or not.
After avoiding seven summons from the CBI in connection with the cattle & coal smuggling case, Anubrata Mandal finally made a maiden visit to the CBI’s Nizam Palace in central Kolkata on May 19. However, after that he had again started avoiding the summons.
(IANS)
