The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has issued an arrest warrant against Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Vinay Mishra in the cattle smuggling case. As per reports, a designated court in Kolkata, on request of the CBI, issued the arrest warrant.
The CBI has issued summons to Mishra four times till now but he has failed to join the investigation. The case pertains to cross-border cattle smuggling. Mishra is believed to be a close aide of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s nephew, Abhishek.
Prior to this, the CBI had carried out raids at multiple locations in West Bengal, including Mishra’s in the case. Last year, during the seven-hour search at his Rashbehari Avenue residence, the officers got hold of incriminating documents. As per reports, the TMC leader was the first politician who was linked to Enamul Haque, the kingpin of the cross-border cattle smuggling racket.
The CBI officials have reasons to believe that Mishra was acting as Haque’s front man in the cattle smuggling racket. The CBI is also working on a list of nearly two dozen West Bengal Police officials including IPS officers who may have information on the cattle smuggling and illegal coal trading rackets.
The multi-crore scam is being investigated by the CBI, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the Income Tax Department. The CBI FIR states that the cattle were smuggled from India to Bangladesh after paying bribes to the BSF personnel manning the border. Custom officials also allegedly took 10% of the auction amount as bribe, the reports say.
