Kolkata: The Enforcement Directorate on Friday arrested and took into its custody Sehgal Hossain, the bodyguard of Trinamool Congress Birbhum district president, Anubrata Mondal in connection with the multi-crore cattle smuggling scam in West Bengal.

The CBI seized 53 land deeds and recorded statements of 95 people in the case

Enforcement Directorate  (ED) sleuths have taken Hossain`s custody from the authorities of the Special Correctional Home at Asansol where he was already in custody following his arrest by the CBI. He was supposed to be in that custody till November 5.

Three senior ED officials arrived here from Delhi on Friday along with a court order that allowed the agency to take Hossain into its custody. Sources said ED has plans to take him to Delhi for further questioning.

Officials said the quantum of property and assets of Hossian that have been assessed by the ED is not proportionate with his income as a Constable with the West Bengal police.

“The question is if he actually purchased them or someone more influential bought in Hossain`s name. Hence, it has become necessary to take him to custody and question him,” an ED official said.

He further said that during questioning, Hossain had made a constant effort to mislead the officials about which the senior ED officials in Delhi were also apprised.

After getting the green signal on this count from the headquarters, the ED officials approached the court in Asansol with the plea seeking Hossain`s custody. After the court approved their plea, ED officials arrested him.

Meanwhile, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has named jailed TMC leader Anubrata Mondal in a 35-page chargesheet in the 2020 smuggling case. The central probe agency mentioned that Mondal was directly involved in the case.

In the fourth supplementary chargesheet that was filed within 57 days, the probe agency stated that they had examined several bank documents and land papers, conducted raids in several rice mills, and questioned several people, including Mondal’s chartered accountant.

The CBI seized 53 land deeds and recorded statements of 95 people in the case.

The probe agency also claimed that Mondal used to provide a safe corridor for the smugglers.