TMC’s Anubrata Mondal, arrested by ED, likely to be flown to Delhi on Tuesday

A senior official of the ED said that Mondal is likely to be brought to Kolkata on Tuesday where he would be checked by doctors (general surgery, cardiology and general medicine) at the ESI hospital

Trinamool Congress (TMC) strongman Anubrata Mondal, arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), is likely to be flown to Delhi by the federal agency on Tuesday after a special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court gave the order, officials said.

TMC leader Anubarat Mondal is a prime suspect in the Bengal cattle smuggling case (ANI Photo)

The court on Monday directed that while the authorities of the Asansol correctional home in West Burdwan district, where the TMC leader is presently lodged, would bring him to Kolkata under the protection of the Asansol Durgapur police, he would be handed over to the ED after a medical check-up, from where the federal agency would take him to the National Capital.

Mondal, a prime suspect in the Bengal cattle smuggling case, moved the high courts in Kolkata and Delhi after the Asansol court, in its last week order, allowed him to be shifted to Delhi’s Tihar jail so that he can be produced before Delhi’s Rouse Avenue court by the ED. The petition was rejected by the Calcutta high court on Saturday.

“Confusion cropped up as the police stated that they won’t take the responsibility of taking Mondal to Kolkata from Asansol jail for the check-up as the high court order didn’t mention whose responsibility was it. The ED too refrained from taking responsibility. On Monday, the Asansol jail authorities moved the CBI court for directions,” said a lawyer.

“On Saturday, the Calcutta high court issued orders on taking Mondal to Delhi, where he would be produced before Delhi’s Rouse Avenue court. The CBI court on Monday just cleared the confusion which had cropped up,” said Somnath Chattoraj, Mondal’s counsel.

The Calcutta high court on Saturday set aside a petition by Mondal in which he challenged the production warrant issued by a special CBI court. The order virtually paved the way for the federal agency to take the TMC leader to Delhi.

The Calcutta high court ordered that Mondal be handed over to the ED after a medical checkup in a central government hospital in Kolkata.

A senior official of the ED said that Mondal is likely to be brought to Kolkata on Tuesday where he would be checked by doctors (general surgery, cardiology and general medicine) at the ESI hospital. After that, he will be provided with a fitness certificate and later be handed over to the federal agency, the official added.

“He would be flown to Delhi as per orders of the high court. A medical examiner would accompany him on the flight. In Delhi he would be examined immediately on arrival,” said an official.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) arrested Mondal on August 11 last year in connection with the cattle smuggling case. He was named in the CBI’s fourth charge sheet filed at the Asansol court on October 7 last year.

Mondal was later arrested by ED on November 17 in connection with money laundering charges linked to the case.

Mondal’s former bodyguard, Sehgal Hossain, who was arrested by CBI on June 10 last year and named in the agency’s third charge sheet filed on August 8, was earlier shifted to Delhi’s Tihar jail on ED’s request.

Soon after Monday’s court orders, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) took a dig at the ruling TMC alleging that multiple attempts were made by the Mamata Banerjee-led administration to delay the process, including arresting the TMC leader in an attempt to murder case.

“We really don’t know why is he afraid of going to Delhi. Earlier TMC leaders used to go to Delhi with the slogan that Mamata Banerjee, TMC supremo, would become the Prime Minister,” said Sukanta Majumdar, West Bengal BJP president.

“I have nothing to say. Whatever is happening is being done on court orders,” TMC spokesperson Tapas Roy said.