ED arrests Sukanya Mondal, daughter of TMC leader Anubrata Mondal, in multi-crore cattle smuggling scam

KOLKATA: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Wednesday arrested TMC leader Anubrata Mondal's daughter Sukanya Mondal in NEW Delhi in connection with the illegal cattle trade across borders.
Mandal, who had been evading appearance before the central investigating agency for the past couple of months, was finally arrested at around 6.30pm after the investigators were not satisfied with her answers.
Mandal, who had appeared before the ED multiple times in the past, did not attend the summons sent to her since November.
She had cited health reasons for not appearing before the agency since November last year, sources said. She will be produced at the Rouse Avenue court in New Delhi on Thursday.
According to the ED sources, Mandal is the owner of two companies — ANM Agrochem and Neer Developers PVt Ltd, two rice mills — Shiv Shambhu Rice Mill and Bhole Bom Rice Mill, land and other properties worth Rs 57 crore.
Apart from that, she has fixed deposits of Rs 6 crore. Sukanya, a primary school teacher by profession, could not justify the source of funds to procure so much wealth.
The ED officials have reasons to believe that the “proceeds of crime” from the illegal cattle trade were routed to her bank accounts through several routes, including purchasing lottery tickets.
Sukanya, during her interrogations earlier, passed on the entire blame to Manish Kothari — chartered accountant for the father-daughter duo, while Kothari has denied charges slapped on him.
The officials also questioned their domestic help Jyotirmay Das alias Lala, Rajib Bhattacharya — a businessman close to Mandal, Malay Pit — the owner of an NGO in connection to the case.