Even with the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probing the cattle smuggling case in West Bengal going all out to get Trinamool Congress strongman Anubrata Mandal for questioning, a medical report issued by a sub-divisional hospital has come handy for the party’s Birbhum district president to avoid the central agency’s summon on Wednesday.
Just when it was perceived that Mandal, who was denied admission by the state-run SSKM Medical College & Hospital on Monday, will have no other option but to face CBI sleuths on Wednesday, a medical report issued by Bolpur Sub-divisional Hospital surfaced, advising complete bed rest for him.
On Tuesday afternoon, the CBI handed over the summon to Mandal at his ancestral residence in Bolpur in Birbhum district for appearance at CBI’s Nizam Palace office in Kolkata on Wednesday.
Minutes after that, a team of medical officers from the Bolpur Sub-divisional Hospital reached his residence. After check-up, they advised that Mandal’s health condition is such that he needs complete bed rest for the next few days.
Now questions are being raised whether Mandal will skip Wednesday’s summon citing the report.
Meanwhile, CBI sleuths have started preparing for questioning Mandal on Wednesday. CBI’ Additional Director, Ajay Bhatnagar, is already in Kolkata and is personally overseeing the entire process. The CBI sleuths who are supposed to interrogate Mandal are ready with a set of questions.
Now all eyes are on when Mandal will start from his Bolpur residence, since generally he reaches Kolkata a day in advance if he has scheduled appointments in the city. However, till the report was filed, he has not started from Bolpur.
Meanwhile, CPI(M) central committee member Sujan Chakraborty said that the CBI since the beginning has given enough of long rope to Mandal.
“It is high time that the central agency sleuths drag him and bring him to their office for interrogation,” Chakraborty said.