Kolkata 13 August : After being arrested Trinamool Congress leader Anubrata Mondal’s bodyguard, Sehgal Hossain, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) detectives have obtained information on a close associate of Mondal, Abdul Latif in its investigation in the case of cattle smuggling.The CBI investigators believe Latif who is currently missing, was the principal agent for commission collection of cattle smugglers.
CBI sources claimed that, on the basis of preliminary investigations and the interrogation of Hossain they have specific details regarding the way Hossain and Latif performed their roles as the two arms of Mondal’s empire that was built on this cattle trafficking.
On the other side, sources claimed that Latif was in charge of collecting of commissions for Mondal.
of Mondal through the cattle smugglers that brought cattle of other states in northern India to a market for cattle in Illambazar near Bolpur in Birbhum district.
Once Latif put the money he had collected after deducting his part, the task of Hossain began with his main responsibility to transfer shares of those illegal profits to the various influential people in the administrative and political setting to ensure smooth running of the business.
The CBI has information on assets worth millions of rupees belonging to Latif and Hossain.
However, sources say that during the interrogation process Mondal is likely to go into completely refuse to cooperate whenever the question of Latif is brought up by CBI officials.”We are convinced that Mondal has specific information regarding Latif’s hideout.However, he is consciously protecting himself since he knows that once we have Latif in our custody, the problems will be more difficult for Mondal,” said a CBI official.
Hossain and Latif are both named.Hossain and Latif were named in the latest charge sheet that was filed by the central agency in the special CBI court in Asansol in West Burdwan district.
In the entire smuggling network since Birbhum was the epicenter of the illicit trade, Mondal and his associates are believed to benefit from two different sources.The primary source of income is in the protection funds since the arrival of the cattle from various north Indian states up to their stay within the confines of Birbhum district.
The other source is the commission that is responsible for making sure that there is a secure transportation of the cattle smuggled into the districts bordering Bangladesh of Murshidabad and Malda.
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