Cattle smuggling: Delhi court sends TMC's Anubrata Mandal to ED custody

A Delhi court on Wednesday sent TMC leader Anubrata Mondal to ED custody till March 10 in an alleged money laundering case related to West Bengal cattle smuggling case.

The midnight court passed the order on a plea moved by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), which sought his 14-day custody and said the accused was required to be quizzed.

Special Judge Rakesh Kumar directed the agency, represented by Special Public Prosecutor Nitesh Rana, to produce the accused on March 10 before the regular court.

The ED on Tuesday got custody of arrested Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Mondal after doctors at Joka-ESI Hospital in West Bengal found him fit to travel to New Delhi.

ED officials took Mondal straightaway to the city airport under tight security of central forces to catch a flight to the national capital, the agency said.

Mondal, the TMC's Birbhum district president and a close aide of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, was earlier arrested by the CBI in connection with the related corruption case.