Cattle scam: CBI files chargesheet against 7 including ex-BSF officer

kOLKATA: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has filed chargesheet in cattle smuggling case against seven persons including the prime accused Enamul Haque, Anarul Sheikh and Md Golam Mustafa and former BSF Commandant Satish Kumar on Monday at the Special CBI Court in Asansol.

CBI officials on Monday appealed to magistrate Jayashree Banerjee to pass an order asking all the accused to be present at the court during the hearing on the next date. This apart, CBI has summoned some of Haque's family members for their suspected involvement in the cattle smuggling racket as well.

While probing a case of cattle smuggling through Indo-Bangla border in West Bengal, CBI came up with the name of Kumar who was earlier posted at the 36 BSF Battalion in Malda sometimes between 2015 and 2017. Then he was leading four companies under him deployed in Murshidabad and two in Malda. During investigation, the central agency came up with the names of Haq, Sheikh and Mustafa.

Haque was arrested from Delhi by the CBI on November 6, last year but was granted interim bail and was asked to surrender at CBO office in Kolkata on November 9. But as he tested Covid positive, Haque was sent to home isolation. After he was cured, he was again arrested by CBI. At present Haque is in judicial custody.

On November 17, Kumar was arrested by the central agency for his alleged involvement in the cattle smuggling. Before his arrest, Kumar was summoned thrice but he did not appear. On November 17 he appeared before the investigating officers but was allegedly evading questions asked. Later he was arrested.