The CBI on Wednesday conducted raids at 13 different locations in Kolkata and Birbhum district in West Bengal in connection with its investigation into an alleged cattle smuggling scam, officials said.
The CBI teams carried out searches at the premises of local TMC leaders, including Md Nazzibuddin alias Tulu Mondal, Abdul Karim Khan, and Jiyaula Haque Sekh alias Mukto, in Illambazar and Nanoor area, they said. Mr Mondal is considered an aide of TMC's Birbhum president Anubrata Mondal, they said.
"Karim Khan has been absconding for quite some time and his mobile number is also unreachable,'' one of the officials said.
Mr Mondal had earlier appeared twice before CBI detectives for questioning. His bodyguard has also been arrested as part of the probe.
"During searches, cash of Rs 17 lakh, electronic devices including 10 mobile phones, pen drives, hard disc besides several incriminating documents and locker key have been recovered," the CBI said in a statement.
The CBI had taken over the case on September 21, 2020 against the four in connection with the alleged illegal cross-border trade of cattle. The CBI has charge sheeted BSF Commandant Satish Kumar and six others including an alleged close aide of TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee Vinay Mishra, currently absconding, for their alleged involvement in a cattle smuggling racket operating on the India-Bangladesh border.
Besides Mr Mishra, the agency has also charge sheeted MrKumar, the then Commandant, 36 Battalion BSF, mastermind Enamul Haque, Anarul Seikh, Golam Mustafa Taniya Sanyal, Badal Krishna Sanyal and Rashida Bibi for allegedly being part of criminal conspiracy to smuggle cattle across to Bangladesh, they said.
In its charge sheet before the Special Court, Asansol(West Bengal), the CBI has alleged that Haque was the organiser of this illegal trade and was assisted by two other accused in connivance with Kumar who was deployed at Murshidabad and Malda.
"Evidence has been found during investigation regarding the alleged illegal cross-border selling of cattle, the related movement, delivery and use of ill-gotten money," CBI Spokesperson RC Joshi had said.
He said it is also alleged that three other accused assisted and showed fictitious business activities to regularise the ill-gotten money.
(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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