SC asks CBI to give charge-sheet of cattle smuggling case to TMC leader Anubrata Mondal

New Delhi, Dec 5 (IANS) The Supreme Court on Tuesday asked the CBI to provide a copy of the charge-sheet to TMC leader Anubrata Mondal in the alleged multi-crore cattle smuggling case in West Bengal.

A bench of Justices Bela M Trivedi and SC Sharma asked the central investigative agency to furnish a copy of the probe report with other documents within a period of one week to Mondal. 

During the hearing, senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, appearing on Mondal’s behalf, urged the top court to release Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s close aide on bail -- who is currently behind bars in Tihar Jail in connection with the alleged case.

Rohtagi said that other co-accused, including Mohd Enamul Haque -- the kingpin of the racket, has already been granted bail. 

Opposing this, Additional Solicitor General SV Raju stated that Mondal is an influential person and has intimated other witnesses related to the case. 

The Supreme Court will take up the matter for further hearing on January 22 next year. 

Mondal was arrested last year in August by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) sleuths and is currently placed under judicial custody at Delhi's Tihar Jail.

Also housed there are his daughter Sukanya Mondal, his personal chartered accountant Manish Kothari, and his bodyguard Sehgal Hossain, all of whom are accused as co-conspirators and beneficiaries in the multi-crore cattle smuggling case.  

In September 2020, the CBI lodged an FIR against Mohd Enamul Haque, BSF Commandant Satish Kumar and others regarding smuggling of cattle through the Indo-Bangladesh Border.

--IANS

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