Trinamul Congress Birbhum district president Anubrata Mondal refused to meet interrogators from the CBI in Calcutta on Sunday, citing his ailing health and a medical advisory asking him to take complete rest.
The central agency had summoned Anubrata for a round of questioning at its Salt Lake office on Sunday to interrogate him in connection with its probe into cases of post-poll violence in Bengal. Two officers had reached Anubrata’s Chinar Park apartment in New Town on Saturday and handed him over a summons asking him to appear under relevant provisions of the Code of Criminal Procedure.
“He (Anubrata) sent an email stating his illness and said he would be unavailable for questioning at the Salt Lake office on Sunday,” said a senior CBI officer. ”We will consult our legal team for our next course of action.”
Sources in the CBI said they had started consulting legal experts since Saturday evening when Anubrata did not turn up for a round of questioning, this time in connection with the multi-crore cattle smuggling case that the agency is also investigating.
Anubrata had returned to his Chinar Park address on Friday after doctors from the SSKM hospital, Calcutta, released him on Friday after a little over a fortnight under their medical supervision.
As news about Anubrata's release reached the CBI, he was asked to appear for interrogation on Saturday. Anubrata evaded it on health grounds and invited officers to his apartment for questioning if they were very keen.
“It is not clear what comes first, the health of an individual or his interrogation in connection with a case." Trinamul's Firhad Hakim said on Sunday.
In response, BJP state president Sukanta Majumdar said the court should decide on the next step for Anubrata.