Release TMC leader or face consequences: Judge hearing Bengal cattle smuggling case gets 'threat letter'

NEW DELHI: The judge of a special CBI court in West Bengal's Asansol, which is hearing the multi-crore cattle smuggling case against Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Anubrata Mondal, has alleged that he has received a threat letter. Special CBI Judge Rajesh Chakraborty has said that one Bappa Chatterjee had threatened him that if the Trinamool Congress leader isn’t released on bail, his family members will be implicated in a drugs case.
The TMC Birbhum district president is currently under the custody of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which is ending on Wednesday when he will be presented at the special court again.
“I do hereby forward you a letter written by one Bappa Chatterjee addressed to the officer-in-charge of this (special CBI) court threatening that if Anubrata Mondal is not released, my family members will be implicated in NDPS case with commercial quantity (of drugs),” read the letter by Judge Rajesh Chakraborty addressed to the District Judge of Paschim Bardhaman, dated August 22.

In his letter, Judge Chakraborty has requested the District Judge to bring it to the notice of the Calcutta high court's registrar, Judicial Service, Appellate Side, seeking redressal in the matter.
The central probe agency had arrested Mondal from his Bolpur residence in Birbhum district in connection with the multi-crore cattle smuggling case on August 11 following a search operation by a CBI team, comprising at least eight officials, along with the personnel of central forces.

Mondal was grilled in a room on the second floor of his residence, before being arrested, an official said, adding several others had also been caught in the case.
The TMC heavyweight had appealed for bail on August 20 citing poor health, but the CBI counsel opposed his plea describing him as a "very powerful and highly influential person". If granted bail, he could "influence witnesses and tamper with evidence", the central agency had said.
One the very day, the judge, who then extended Mondal's CBI custody till August 24, got the threat letter.
Meanwhile, a CBI team on Tuesday visited the additional district sub-registrar's (ADSR) office at Bolpur in Birbhum to inquire about properties registered in the name of arrested TMC leader Mondal and his relatives, a senior official said. The four-member CBI team went to the ADSR office with documents seized from several places raided by the central agency in connection with its investigation, he said.
"We have, in our possession, several documents related to properties belonging to Mondal, including some which were transferred in the name of others. Our officials are tallying records with the ADSR," the official told news agency PTI.
The CBI is trying to ascertain if these properties were purchased using the funds acquired from the alleged cattle smuggling.
The interrogation of Mondal by the CBI is still underway, he said.
(with inputs from agencies)