ED attaches properties worth Rs. 25.86 crores in cattle smuggling case
The attached properties include 36 bank accounts having total credit balance of Rs. 25.86 crore in the name of Anubrata Mondal : ED
New Delhi, February 10
Directorate of Enforcement (ED has provisionally attached movable properties valued at Rs. 25.86 crore under the provisions of Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002 in the cattle smuggling case.
The attached properties include 36 bank accounts having total credit balance of Rs. 25.86 crore in the name of Anubrata Mondal, his family members, his associated firms and companies and benamidars.
ED initiated investigation on the basis of FIR registered by CBI, Kolkata against Satish Kumar, then Commandant of BSF, Md. Enamul Haque and others for illegal cattle smuggling into Bangladesh from India.
ED investigation revealed that the Proceeds of Crime (POC) to the tune of Rs 48.06 Crore were received by Anubrata Mondal for providing patronage to the cattle smuggling nexus in West Bengal. He was the District President TMC of Birbhum District at the time of commission of the offence and yielded enormous control over local administration of Birbhum and adjacent districts of West Bengal. Anubrata Mondal through his bodyguard Sehegal Hossain, was in constant touch with the kingpin of the case Md. Enamul Haque.
The officials said that the investigation revealed that the cash received by Anubrata Mondal from Md. Enamul Haque for providing patronage was laundered by depositing it in various bank accounts of his family members, associated entities, benamidars and local businessmen of Birbhum who thereafter returned the same through banking channels.
ED had earlier arrested Anubrata Mondal in November 2022 in the case and he was granted bail by Hon’ble Special Court, Rouse Avenue Court, New Delhi in September after 22 months. Four prosecution complaints have been filed in the case so far. The total attachment in the case now stands at Rs. 51.13 crores.
