Ahead of polls, CBI summons Anubrata

KOLKATA: Barely four days ahead of the polls in Birbhum, Trinamool Congress (TMC) district president Anubrata Mondal was summoned by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to appear at its office on April 27 in connection with the cattle smuggling case.

Stating it to be an instance of "purposeful harassment" of her party's district president from Birbhum at a time when the leader was busy for polls, TMC chairperson Mamata Banerjee said: "He is always being put under house arrest during election hours. We have noticed it in some of the previous elections and this time they have gone all out to distract him from carrying out the party's work by summoning him barely two days ahead of the polls in the district. It is intolerable and I will ask Anubrata not to turn up citing the genuine cause of his prior engagements due to the election."

Elections in 11 Assembly constituencies of Birbhum will be held on April 29.

Banerjee further alleged that the Central agencies were being used by the BJP to harass her party leaders.

She alleged that officials of Central agencies were barging into the houses of TMC leaders and workers violating Covid protocols.

Mondal has already sent an email to the Central investigating agency stating his inability to turn up on April 27.

He, however, assured all cooperation for the ongoing investigation and informed that he would appear before the officials after the elections.

Earlier, Mondal and two of his close aides were summoned by the Income Tax department related to disproportionate properties to income ratio.