A special CBI court on Saturday remanded Trinamool Congress strongman Anubrata Mondal to an additional 14-day judicial custody for his alleged involvement in the multi-crore cattle smuggling scam in West Bengal.
The court in Asansol witnessed heated arguments during the course of hearing as Mondal’s counsel, Sajal Dasgupta, alleged that the CBI was conducting its probe to target a particular political party.
“The central agency has filed a total of five charge sheets in the matter, with the sole intention of blocking my client’s bail plea,” Dasgupta said and questioned whether Mondal will not be granted bail unless he changes his political party or takes retirement from politics.
In his argument, the CBI counsel said that Mondal was not cooperating during the course of interrogation.
Objecting to this point, Dasgupta stressed that his client is not aware of anything related to cattle-smuggling, hence he is unable to divulge anything.
Judge Rajesh Chakraborty then asked the CBI counsel to provide a specific date by when the central probe agency is expected to complete its investigation.
To this, the CBI counsel said although the investigation is almost at its final stage, it will take some more time.
The judge fixed the next date of hearing to November 11.
The CBI had recently submitted a fresh charge sheet at the Asansol court, in which the agency named Mondal as the direct beneficiary of the scam.