'Demand unbiased, speedy probe in cattle smuggling case': TMC after Anubrata Mondal's arrest

"At the very outset, we would like to clarify that All India Trinamool Congress does not support any misdoings or corruption. As our National General Secretary has mentioned time and again, AITC has zero-tolerance for corruption," the party said in a statement.

The CBI earlier in the day arrested West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's right-hand man and TMC's Birbhum district president Anubrata Mondal in connection with the cattle smuggling case,

In response to the same, the party said: "All India Trinamool Congress never encourages illegal activities. We have come to power with the support of the people. It is the people’s belief in Hon’ble CM Mamata Banerjee, that has made her a three-time Chief Minister."

"Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, herself, has mentioned that AITC will not support those who do injustice to the people of our land. This is what we wish to repeat from this press conference," said senior party leaders Chandrima Bhattacharya and Samir Chakraborty.

Demanding an unbiased investigation in the case, they said: "We see that ED, CBI or any other central government agency, have lost their impartiality and credibility. These investigative agencies have become political tools to corner members of opposition parties, and ignore the accused leaders belonging to the BJP."

Launching an attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Centre, the TMC leaders pointed out: "Assam’s Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s name surfaced in numerous scams when he was in the Congress. However, upon his joining the BJP, all probes against him have taken a back seat. We expect similar treatment by ED and CBI for all those belonging to the ruling party as
well."

"There are several allegations against BJP leaders, but nothing is happening to them. Himanta Biswa Sarma's name was, in fact, also taken by Jharkhand MLAs but no action has been taken against him by CBI-ED," they added.

"A thorough investigation is needed to see what the Jharkhand MLAs were doing with bundles of cash in their car. We don’t even know who the main culprit is, or the source of the money. We hope that CBI and ED show the same eagerness is the case, but it is not to be. This clearly shows the collusion between the agencies and the ruling party in the Centre," the TMC leaders said

Attacking Bengal’s Leader of Opposition, Suvendu Adhikari, they said: "The
main accused in the Saradha scam, Sudipta Sen, has mentioned that he had given money to Adhikari, a day before being arrested. However, no interrogation has been done by CBI or ED."

"Even his brother, Dibyendu Adhikari, removed important papers pertaining to the scam, but he has never been questioned," they said.

After Anubrata evaded the CBI summons, the probe agency officers earlier in the say reached his house in Bolpur, conducted a search operation and eventually arrested the strongman.

After the first fresh summon issued by the CBI, Anubrata Tuesday reached Kolkata, headed to government-run SSKM Hospital and drove back to Bolpur.

Meanwhile, Chandranath Adhikari, the surgeon in Bolpur sub-divisional hospital, has said he had visited Anubrata's house Tuesday night.

In an explosive statement, Adhikari claimed he was asked by the TMC leader to prescribe him bed rest.

Reacting to the arrest, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) state president Sukanta Majumdar said, "It was bound to happen. TMC leaders suit in jail.