People showed shoes and shouted slogans of 'chor, chor (thief)' as senior Trinamool Congress leader Anubrata Mondal, arrested in connection with a cattle smuggling case, was produced before a special CBI court in Bengal's Asansol. In the video, Mondal, TMC's Birbhum district president, can be seen being taken inside the court by CBI officials and police amid a huge crowd. The court sent Mondal to 10-day CBI custody.
The arrest of Mondal, considered among the most trusted aides of Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, comes close on the heels of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) apprehending former Bengal minister Partha Chatterjee in a teacher recruitment scam.
In a statement, CBI said Mondal was arrested for allegedly not cooperating in its probe into the scam.
"CBI today arrested an accused in a case related to alleged illegal cross-border trade of cattle. The said accused was consistently avoiding CBI's summons since long and not cooperating with the CBI investigation into the case," the probe agency said.
"It was also alleged that the accused persons were organising and patronising large-scale illegal cattle smuggling to neighbouring countries and collecting huge money from other persons," the CBI said.
READ | CBI Arrests TMC Birbhum District Chief In Cattle Smuggling Case
Mondal had skipped his scheduled appearance before the CBI on Monday and Wednesday, citing ill-health.
Earlier in the day, a CBI team comprising at least eight officers, along with personnel of central forces, reached the TMC leader's residence around 10 am, and conducted a search operation, as part of the investigation. Mondal was questioned in his residence for almost an hour before being arrested.
TMC said the party was keeping a close watch on the situation and the party had "zero tolerance" on corruption and wrongdoings.
"The party will take an appropriate decision at the right time. But, we want to make it clear that TMC will not compromise on any instance of corruption," MP Santanu Sen told PTI.