ED gets custody of Anubrata Mondal after doctors declare him fit to travel to Delhi

Kolkata: The Enforcement Directorate on Tuesday got custody of arrested Trinamool Congress leader Anubrata Mondal after doctors at Joka-ESI Hospital here found him fit to travel to New Delhi, an official of the central agency said.

ED officials took Mondal straightaway to the city airport under tight security of central forces to catch a flight to the national capital where they will interrogate him in connection with their probe into the alleged cattle smuggling scam.

Common people waiting outside the ESI Hospital in Joka to catch a glimpse of Mondal, shouted 'goru chor' (cattle thief) when the TMC Birbhum unit president was brought out by the ED officials following several medical tests.

"Mondal was found by doctors at the Joka-ESI hospital absolutely fit to travel to New Delhi. We are taking him there for interrogation," the official told PTI.

ED sources said that Mondal's flight to New Delhi is scheduled at 6.45pm.

Four ED officers and one doctor will be accompanying Mondal on the flight to New Delhi.

Earlier in the day, the TMC leader was brought to the Joka-ESI Hospital for medical check-up by doctors from the Durgapur Correctional Home under tight security cover, provided by Asansol-Durgapur Police Commissionerate.

The police convoy bringing Mondal to Kolkata had a stop at Shaktigarh where the TMC Birbhum unit president had his breakfast.

The Calcutta High Court on Saturday directed that "medical officers" in a central government hospital in Kolkata in the department of general medicine, cardiology and general surgery will examine Mondal and issue a medical certificate stating the condition of the health of the petitioner before he is handed over to the ED.

It also directed that a medical officer accompany Mondal to Delhi and that the TMC leader will be examined medically by doctors immediately after his arrival in the national capital.

The Calcutta High Court directed that such medical papers be produced before the trial court in Delhi at the time of the production of Mondal before it.

The TMC leader was arrested by the ED in November last year. He was taken into custody by the CBI in the cattle smuggling case in August 2022.

His lawyer moved a petition claiming that the order on the basis of which Mondal is sought to be shifted to Delhi is bad in law and cannot be issued by the special judge, CBI Court at Asansol.