New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Wednesday arrested Sukanya Mandal, daughter of Trinamool Congress strongman Anubrata Mandal, from Delhi in connection with the cattle smuggling scam in West Bengal. The ED had summoned Sukanya several times to its headquarters for questioning in connection with the scam, but she kept evading the summons. His father Anubrata Mandal is currently in judicial custody in connection with the same scam. Sukanya was arrested by the ED in August last year, eight months after her father was arrested. The ED wanted to question her about sources of funds in companies and rice mills in West Bengal’s Birbhum district where she was a director or partner. Investigation revealed that she is the director of two companies, Neer Developer Pvt Ltd and ANM Agrochem Foods Pvt Ltd. The companies’ offices are at the same address as the Bholebam Rice Mill, which is also owned by them, is located at Bolpur in Birbhum. town. Besides this, he had partnership in several rice mills in Birbhum district.
He was earlier questioned by the ED, but he denied having any information or details about companies, rice mills or other properties in his name. She also said that her personal chartered accountant Manish Kothari was aware of all the details. Even Kothari was arrested by the ED and is currently in judicial custody.
TMC kept a safe stand on Sukanya’s arrest
As news of the arrest of Sukanya Monda in Delhi by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) reached Kolkata on Wednesday evening, the state’s ruling party took a guarded stance on the matter.
Trinamool spokesperson Kunal Ghosh said he would refrain from commenting on the matter as the party’s stand on such issues is very clear that it will not stand behind anyone involved in corruption. “But a question automatically arises whether the central agency could have continued its probe without taking Sukanya Mandal into custody. She lost her mother a few months ago, her father is in judicial custody. So is such a drastic step necessary?” Was this step taken following instructions from a political force,” Ghosh asked.
BJP says Sukanya’s arrest was inevitable
Meanwhile, West Bengal BJP president and Lok Sabha MP Sukanta Majumdar said the arrest was inevitable as she has been repeatedly evading summons from the central agency. “From the very beginning, she was resorting to non-cooperation in the investigation process. So, the inevitable has happened,” he added.
State legal experts are of the view that Sukanya’s denial of knowledge about huge money lying in companies in which she was a director cannot be used to prove her innocence. Kaushik Gupta, senior advocate of the Calcutta High Court, said, “She is an adult. So she cannot claim ignorance in such matters, especially being a director of companies that are under investigation.”