Cattle smuggling case: CBI might again quiz Anubrata Mondal’s CA
Statesman | 1 October 2022
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) might again question Manish Kothari, the chartered account of Trinamool Congress strongman Anubrata Mondal, in connection with the multi-crore cattle smuggling scam in West Bengal.
If it happens, then it would be the third time that Kothari will be questioned by the central agency in the matter.
CBI sources said questioning Kothari has become important after Anubrata Mondal’s daughter, Sukanya, was interrogated last week on the sources of funds in her name, as well that of her father and late mother, Chobi Mondal.
In reply to almost all the questions, Sukanya Mondal said that Kothari was aware of all details pertaining to purchasing of property and land.
In relation to the property and land in her name, the investigative agency sleuths asked her some supplementary questions, according to the sources.
The questions were did she sign the property or land purchase documents after thoroughly reading those documents or did she sign those documents as instructed by her father?; did she ever go to the registry offices at the time of registration of the property or land in her name or did she give the power of attorney to anyone to do that?; did she ever question her father about the sources of funds for such property?
Another question that is baffling the CBI officers is that how Sukanya Mondal, who is as per records a teacher at a state-run primary school at Bolpur in Birbhum district, had her names registered as directors in two private limited companies — ANM Agrochem Foods Private Limited and Neer Developer Private Limited — as well as co- owner in a private rice mill, Bhole Byom Rice Mill.
“As a government servant, her association with any entity floated with the purpose of profit making is something quite unnatural,” a CBI official said.
Explaining the legal aspect on this count, counsel of Calcutta High Court and an expert in service rules, Jyoti Prakash Khan said that under the West Bengal Service Rules, a government servant is not allowed to be part of any house of profit.
“In exceptional cases where someone is writing a book or getting invited by any educational institute as a guest lecturer, the government servant concerned will have to seek permission from the state government.
“At the same time, a percentage of the either royalty earned from the book or guest lecture fee has to be deposited with the state government exchequer,” Khan said.