Kolkata, March 31 () The Enforcement Directorate (ED) probing the multicore cattle-smuggling scam in West Bengal has now started zeroing in on the source of funds for meeting the huge expenses behind the multiple legal battles in various courts of the country by Trinamool Congress leader Anubrata Mondal.
Sources said that as per preliminary investigation, the central agency sleuths have got some crucial clues about the involvement of two individuals behind supplying substantial amounts of funds for meeting the legal expenses.
“One of them is a police officer in-charge of a particular police station in Birbhum district. The other is an influential businessman from the same district involved in the stone- quarry and stone- crusher plants business.
“Our sleuths are trying to get more substantiating proof establishing their links with the sources of funds for meeting the legal expenses. At the same time the investigators are also trying to find out and establish the motive behind this funding,” an ED associate said.
At the same time, the central agency sleuths doubt these two individuals are not the only ones behind this huge funding and there are other more influential people involved in the supply of funds. Source said that sleuths are trying to move step-by-step to reach out to others on this count.
Since the time Anubrata Mondal was arrested by Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in August last year, he had been continuing his legal battle in multiple courts which include the special CBI court in Asansol, Rouse Avenue Court in Delhi, Calcutta High Court, Delhi High Court and finally the Supreme Court.
In all these cases, especially those being heard at the two high courts and the apex court, top legal brains of the country, who charge several lakhs of rupees for each appearance, had been representing Mondal.
That made the central agency sleuths take note since almost all the bank accounts in the names of Mondal, his daughter and the companies owned by them have been freezed by the central agencies.
The questions where from the funds for meeting the huge legal expenses are coming and who are funding have now become significant. The ED officials have started the process of a clear answer to the questions.
src/dpb