Cattle smuggling case: ED charge sheet cites Anubrata as beneficiary of Rs 48 cr

Kolkata, May 4 (IANS) The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday submitted a supplementary charge sheet before the Rouse Avenue Court in the national capital in connection with the alleged multi-crore cattle smuggling scam in West Bengal, in which the central agency cited Trinamool Congress strongman Anubrata Mondal as a beneficiary to the tune of Rs 48 crore from the alleged scam.

Besides Mondal, his daughter Sukanya Mondal has also been named in the supplementary charge sheet, sources said.

Both Mondal and his daughter are currently in judicial custody in Tihar Jail for their reported involvement in the alleged cattle smuggling scam.

The third name in the supplementary charge sheet is that of Manish Kothari, the chartered accountant of Mondal.

Sources said that the charge sheet refers to two companies christened Neer Developer Pvt Ltd and ANM Agrochem Foods, where Sukanya Mondal is one of the directors, and Bhole Bholebam Rice Mill, where she is a partner.

Though not mentioned in the charge sheet, sources said that the ED has traced multiple cash deposits at frequent intervals in amounts slightly less than Rs 50,000 in the different bank accounts held by Sukanya Mondal.

The sources said the investigating officers believe that the transactions in amounts ranging from Rs 45,000 to Rs 49,500 were made deliberately to avoid mentioning the Permanent Account Number (PAN) in the deposit slips. As per banking rules, mentioning PAN in the deposit slips is mandatory in case of cash deposits of Rs 50,000 and above.

Earlier on Thursday, Anubrata Mondal's wish to return to a prison in West Bengal from the Tihar Jail in the national capital was nipped in the bud after the Rouse Avenue Court turned out his plea on this count.