Anubrata Mandal again avoids CBI summon, not to appear today

Kolkata, May 24

After making a maiden appearance at the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) office here on May 19 for questioning in the cattle and coal smuggling cases, Trinamool Congress leader Anubrata Mandal has again started avoiding the agency summons.

Mandal was supposed to appear at the CBI office located at Central Government Office (CGO) on Tuesday at 1 p.m. in the post-poll violence case, his counsels sent a communication to the agency about their client's inability to join the interrogation on the health grounds.

It is learnt that in the communication Mandal's counsel has assured that their client will cooperate with the central agency in all possible ways required for a smooth investigation process.

However, till the report was filed the CBI did not receive that communique from Mandal's counsels. CBI sources said that they have heard about this development and the agency will decide over its next course of action after they officially receive that communique.

In the communication to the CBI sleuths, it was said that Mandal would contact the central agency again after 15 days to finalise the next date of appearance. This means that Mandal, who is currently at his ancestral residence at Bolpur in Birbhum district, will also not appear at CBI's Nizam Palace office in Kolkata on Friday, May 27 for questioning in the cattle and coal smuggling cases.

To recall that immediately after appearing at the CBI's Nizam Place office in Kolkata on May 19, Mandal rushed to state-run SSKM Medical College and Hospital, where he was examined by a medical board. It is learnt that the medical board advised him prolonged bed-rest, and Mandal is using that prescription to avoid appearance at the CBI office on Tuesday.

A BJP worker in Birbhum district was lynched soon after the 2021 West Bengal Assembly election results were announced. The family members of the victim complained that the lynching happened because of the instructions from Mandal.