Cattle scam: ED asks Bengal cop not to leave Delhi without permission

Kolkata, March 27 (IANS) The Enforcement Directorate (ED) probing the multi-crore cattle smuggling scam in West Bengal has directed the inspector-in-charge (IC) of Suri police station in Birbhum district, S.K. Mohammad Ali, not to leave Delhi without prior permission from the central probe agency.

After being questioned for around eight hours at ED’s headquarters in Delhi on March 25, Ali was summoned for questioning again on Monday. ED sources said he has been called for a second round of questioning because a lot of contradictions were found in his statements during the first round on March 25.

When ED had summoned Ali to Delhi for questioning, he was asked to be present with all related documents pertaining to his bank accounts and property details. According to sources, the probe agency has come across some properties worth hefty amounts in the names of some of Ali’s close relatives.

“He is being questioned about the source of funds for purchasing the high-value properties,” an ED associate said.

Earlier this month, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which is conducting a parallel probe into the multi-crore cattle-smuggling scam, had also questioned Ali in this connection at the agency’s Nizam Palace office in Kolkata.

The ED has also summoned Kripamoy Nandi, the superintendent of Asansol Special Correctional Home in West Burdwan district, to the agency’s headquarters in Delhi on April 5.

Trinamool Congress strongman Anubrata Mondal, one of the prime accused in the case, was housed at the correctional home after his arrest in August 2022 till the time he was taken to the national capital by the ED earlier this month.

–IANS

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