The CBI probing the cattle smuggling case today interrogated actor-MP Deepak Adhikari alias Dev of Trinamul Congress for five hours in connection with his alleged complicity in the cattle smuggling case at Nizam Palace office, in Kolkata.

Dev, who was summoned by the central agency for interrogation allegedly after his name surfaced following interrogations with several witnesses, as claimed by the CBI source, appeared at the latter’s office this morning before the scheduled time to face questions. A source in the agency claimed that the sleuths had prepared a five-page questionnaire for the actor-turned MP and grilled him for five hours to elicit answers after investigation revealed his alleged link.

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After the interrogation, Dev told newspersons he had answered what the officers had asked him and nothing else he had to add. On a question, whether he knew Enamul Haq, the alleged mastermind in the cattle smuggling case, the Ghatal MP said he did not know him and no financial transaction had ever happened.

As the parliamentarian faced the CBI, he was however feted by Speaker OM Birla for his “humanitarian work” during the pandemic for which he had expressed his gratitude to the Speaker in a tweet. The MP wrote, “Thank you Hon’ble Speaker for this Recognition and Honour. I stood by the people not only as an MP but as a human being first, as everyone should. I thank my fellow parliamentarians who stood by our people during such hour of need”.

Earlier, the CBI also sent summons to Trinamul’s Birbhum strongman Anubrata Mandol for his appearance on 14 February in the same case, who had however skipped the deposition and sought deferment citing his indisposition, which prompted the CBI to reissue summons on 25 February, as claimed the source. He was earlier summoned for the first time in April last year in the same case.

Meanwhile, BJP state president and MP Sukanta Majumder, reacting over CBI inquiry against TMC MP/actor Deb, said that anyone who is associated with the Trinamul faces the risk of being subjected to inquiries relating to criminal investigations.

He said, “This is sad. I have sympathy for him but it is so normal for TMC leaders for facing CBI inquiries. Corruption and malpractices are rampant in this party. Since he is in TMC, he has to face such consequences. Dev should share the truth and necessary information with CBI. A time will come when the TMC will be in a far worse situation than the erstwhile Left Front government.”