A Delhi court has allowed the ED to interrogate Saigal Hossain, a former security guard of arrested Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Anubrata Mondal, in its custody till October 28 in connection with a money-laundering case related to alleged cattle smuggling.
Hossain, who allegedly amassed huge wealth through a cattle-smuggling racket, was brought from West Bengal to Delhi after he was arrested for not cooperating with Enforcement Directorate (ED) officers during his questioning at a correctional home in Asansol.
Special Judge Raghubir Singh allowed the ED's plea for a "proper investigation of the case". "There are ample reasons to accept the request for police remand in the light of the narration of the very application in hand as well as the supplementary chargesheet already filed in the court. Accordingly, police remand of the accused for the period until 28 of this month," the judge said.
ED's Special Public Prosecutor Nitesh Rana told the court that the accused, who was a constable in the West Bengal Police and was deputed as a personal security guard of Mondal, used to collect illegal gratification from the kingpin of the racket, Enamul Haque, as well as S K Abdul Latif on behalf of the TMC leader for protection and patronage in carrying out the illegal activity of cattle smuggling through the Indo-Bangladesh border.
In its application moved on October 22, the ED had sought police remand of the accused for 14 days. The application was opposed by the accused, who claimed that the probe was already complete since the federal agency had filed its chargesheet and there was no purpose of his interrogation now.
(With PTI Inputs)
