People waiting outside the hospital in Joka to catch a glimpse of Anubrata Mondal, shouted ‘goru chor’ (cattle thief) when the TMC leader was brought out by the ED officials following several medical tests.
Kolkata,UPDATED: Mar 7, 2023 21:39 IST
TMC leader Anubrata Mondal was arrested by CBI in connection with a cow smuggling case last year. (PTI Photo)
By Rajesh Saha: Trinamool Congress leader Anubrata Mondal was brought to Joka-ESI Hospital for medical check-up before he was handed over to the Enforcement Directorate for questioning in connection with its ongoing probe into alleged cattle smuggling scam. As the TMC leader was taken out of the emergency room following the medical examination, a few people present inside the hospital premises started raising slogans against him.
“Goru chor (cattle thief)” slogan could be heard inside the ESI hospital. The agitators claimed to be local residents. One of them said, “We came here to see the biggest cattle thief. We came to know that he is going to fly to Delhi with ED, so before leaving Kolkata we wanted to see him for the last time. He is a thief. He killed several people and looted money. It was our wish to see him once.”
ED’S LEGAL BATTLE TO TAKE MONDAL TO DELHI FOR QUESTIONING
TMC leader Anubrata Mondal was taken into custody by the CBI in the cattle smuggling case in August last year. Soon after, in November, the TMC leader was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in the same case. The ED wanted to take Mondal to ED headquarters in Delhi for further probe.
However, his lawyer moved a petition claiming that the order, on the basis of which Mondal was sought to be shifted to Delhi, cannot be issued by the special CBI court at Asansol.
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On Saturday, the Kolkata High Court set aside Anubrata Mondal’s petition challenging a production warrant issued by a special CBI court and cleared the way for the ED to take him to Delhi for questioning.
The High Court directed that medical officers in a central government-run hospital in Kolkata would examine Mondal and issue a medical certificate on his health condition before he is handed over to the ED for transit.
Following the High Court’s order, Anubrata Mondal was brought to Joka-ESI Hospital on Tuesday morning for medical check-up.
Anubrata Mondal was brought to the hospital from the Durgapur Correctional Home under tight security cover, provided by Asansol-Durgapur Police Commissionerate. One Inspector, three sub-Inspectors and 12 armed police personnel, along with two pilot cars, brought Mondal to Kolkata on Tuesday morning. At around 11 am, the police team reached ESI hospital in Joka area and security around the hospital was beefed up.
Following the medical check-up, the doctors found him fit to travel to New Delhi and the Enforcement Directorate was handed over the custody of arrested Trinamool Congress leader Anubrata Mondal.
The ED officials took Mondal to the city airport under tight security of central forces to catch a flight to the national capital, where they will interrogate him in connection with their probe into the alleged cattle smuggling scam.
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