West Bengal actor Dev summoned by CBI over alleged role in cattle smuggling

India's Central Bureau of Investigation today summoned actor and West Bengal's ruling Trinamool Congress lawmaker Deepak Adhikari, popularly known by his on-screen name Dev, in connection with its probe into a cattle smuggling racket along the border with Bangladesh, said CBI sources.

The anti-corruption wing of the CBI asked the actor-turned-politician to appear before the agency at its Nizam Palace office in Kolkata on February 15, the sources said, reports our New Delhi correspondent.

"Dev's name surfaced several times during interrogation of others accused in a cattle smuggling case," the agency source said.

The CBI had earlier questioned several persons, including Bikash Mishra, brother of Binay Mishra, a businessman allegedly involved in the cattle smuggling racket, and considered close to Trinamool Congress.

The agency had also interrogated Enamul Haque, the prime accused in the case.

Both Bikash Mishra and Haque were taken to CBI custody and the latter was recently granted bail by the Supreme Court.

Bikash Mishra was also arrested by another central agency Enforcement Directorate, which is probing the money launder dimension of the racket, from Delhi on March 16 last year.

It is alleged that cattle smugglers were bribing Indian Border Security Force and Customs officials to keep their illegal business running.

The CBI has also arrested a former commandant of the 36 BSF Battalion for his alleged involvement in the racket. The commandant has been dismissed from service.

The agency had filed a charge sheet against Enamul and the BSF official in the case.

The cattle smuggling case was registered on September 21, 2020, against the then commandant of 36 Battalion, Border Security Force (BSF) Satish Kumar, three other persons and unnamed public servants and private persons following allegations of illegal cattle trade along the West Bengal-Bangladesh border by the accused "in connivance with public servants".