Cattle scam: Anubrata Mondal's judicial custody extended till Feb 3

Kolkata, Jan 19 (IANS) The special CBI court in Asansol, on Thursday, extended till February 3 the judicial custody of Trinamool Congress leader Anubrata Mondal in connection with the multi-crore cattle smuggling scam in West Bengal.

Before being presented before the court, Mondal -- the party's Birbhum district president -- was interrogated by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) officials at the Asansol Special Correctional Home this morning.

Recently, CBI sleuths came across several fake bank accounts at a cooperative bank in Birbhum district, that were opened using the identity proofs of people from financially weaker sections without their knowledge.

Investigations also revealed that the accounts were opened using the signature of a single individual raising doubts that they were used for channelising the cattle scam proceeds.

When the investigating officials questioned some of the people whose identity proofs were allegedly misused, they learnt that the AADHAR cards were submitted with the local panchayats as documents at one point or the other.

The CBI counsel also submitted copies of the statements of those whose identity proofs were misused.

Monda's counsel, however, did not move any bail plea since a separate bail petition has already been filed at the Calcutta High Court.

Finally, the judge of the special court Rajesh Chakraborty extended Mondal's judicial custody till February 3.