Cattle smuggling case: TMC leader Anubrata Mondal seeks transfer to Asansol prison in plea at Delhi court

TMC leader Anubrata Mondal, who is presently in Tihar Jail in judicial custody in an alleged cattle smuggling case, has moved an application in Delhi's Rouse Avenue Court seeking his transfer to Asansol Correctional Home (West Bengal). A plea filed on his behalf stated that the accused (Anubrata Mondal) is facing criminal prosecution in the Scheduled Offence (CBI Case) pursuant to a chargesheet filed before Special Judge, CBI Court Asansol, Paschim Bardhaman, West Bengal in the alleged Scheduled Offence, saying the matter is listed for hearing next on March 31, 2023.

The petition stated further, "He is presently in judicial custody and lodged in Tihar Jail and his custodial remand got over on 21.03.2023 and presently, no proceedings are pending against the accused herein in Delhi, as the Directorate of Enforcement has not filed any Prosecution Complaint against the Accused herein till now." The plea was filed by Mondal's advocates Mudit Jain and Karan Kumar Gogna.

The Enforcement Directorate recently brought the TMC leader to Delhi after arresting him in a money laundering case connected to the cattle smuggling case. Special Judge Raghubir Singh recently sent him to Tihar Jail till April 3. He was produced by ED in court after his remand ended.

Appearing for Mondal, Advocate Mudit Jain earlier submitted that the investigations conducted are closed-door ones without any sight visits, making them lazy and unenterprising. Mandal's default bail plea was recently dismissed by the trial Court.

The TMC's Birbhum district president, who is considered close to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, was earlier arrested by the CBI in connection with the same case in July, last year. Recently, the ED arrested him in the alleged multi-crore cattle smuggling scam after questioning him inside the Asansol jail where he was lodged.

Further, in connection with this case, the court earlier noted that this case filed by the ED is based on the Scheduled Offence (CBI case), the proceedings for which are ongoing at Asansol in the Birbhum district of West Bengal in a CBI Court. Some accused persons have been in judicial custody in connection with the ongoing proceedings in the CBI case.

During Sehgal Hussain's (another accused) hearing, the ED had argued that sources for funding immovable and movable assets acquired by the accused are to be ascertained and for that, the accused is required to be confronted with certain other persons, including his close relatives and acquaintances, so as to track the tainted money which allegedly runs into crores of rupees. (ANI)

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