In a fresh jolt to Trinamool Congress, party strongman 🦋Anubrata Mondal was arrested by CBI in a cattle smuggling case on Thursday, three weeks after Enforcement Directorate picked up another heavyweight leader Partha Chatterjee in the schoo🍌l recruitment scam.
Mondal, who was arrested from his residence in Bolpur in Birbhum district after an hour-long interr💃ogation, was sent to CBI custody till August 20 by a s♍pecial CBI court.
The ruling party of West Bengal decided 🎃to hit the streets for two consecutive days against the vendetta politics allegedly being pursued by the BJP-led central government by using its agencies.
Oppositio🎃n BJP alleged that Mondaඣl's arrest proves that TMC is neck-deep in corruption and demanded a statement from Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on this.
Mondal whose political career was marked by controversies skip🌠ped his scheduled appearance before the central probe agency on Monday and Wednesday, citing ill health.
"We have arrested him for non-cooperat🍎ion in the investigation into the cattle smuggling case. We have found Mr Mond💮al's direct involvement in the scam,” a CBI official told PTI.
The agency has summoned Mondal 10 time♓s earlier, but he had appeared before them onl💝y once earlier this year.
The official said the CBI would also question the doctor of a Bol🦩pur hospital who had prescribed Mondal bed rest for 14 days.
Sleuths of the probe agency also conducted raids at r🍸esidences of several close associates of the TMC leader.
What did TMC say?
The TMC's stand on the issue of Mondal was in sharp contrast to that of another party heavywe⛦ight Partha Chatterjee who was arrested on July 23 by the Enforcement Directorate in the school jobs scam. The ED found crores of rupees in cash in fla🐻ts owned by a woman considered close to him.
Chatte💦rjee was stripped of his cabinet portfolios and party posts within five days of his arrest. The TMC did not hit the streets against central agencies following his arrest.
ܫIn a sign of support for Mondal, the Mamata Banerjee-led party said no action will be taken against him now.
"The party doesn't support any form of corruption or wrongdoing. We have zero tolerance for corruption. The party will take the appropriatꦏe decision (on M🉐ondal) at the right time. An allegation against someone doesn't prove him guilty,” senior leader and minister Chandrima Bhattacharya said.
She said, “We have serious doubts about the functioning of the central agencies. We have seen that they ཧare silent when it comes to taking action against BJP leaders against whom there are allegations of corruption."
How did the Opposition react?
Opposition parties came 🏅down heavily on the TMC following the arrest of Mondal.
"It is time the CM comes out with a statement on the arrest of Mondal. We all know he is close to the top TMC leadership," BJP national vice-♎president Di꧅lip Ghosh said.
S❀enior CPI(M) leader Sujan Chakrꦺaborty alleged that Mondal considered himself above the law in Birbhum district, and the TMC leadership "turned a blind eye to his misdeeds."
The Congress’ s𝐆tate president Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury claimed that the day is not far away when the central probe agency would reach the top echelons of the party in the graft case.
(With PTI Inputs)
