The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has asked heavyweight Trinamul Congress leader Anubrata Mandal, who has been skipping summons of the agency in connection with its probe into cases of cattle smuggling and post-poll violence citing health issues, to submit his passport to it, an official said on Tuesday.
The TMC's Birbhum district president informed the CBI that he has no passport, which prompted the sleuths to verify his claim.
"We have asked Mandal to submit his passport to know whether he has travelled abroad or not. But he has informed us that he holds no passport. We are checking it out with the Passport Office," the CBI official said.
After skipping appearances before the CBI a few times citing ill-health and political engagements, Mandal was going to the agency's office on April 6. However, he fell ill on the way and went to the state-run SSKM Hospital.
He was discharged from the hospital after 17 days. Doctors have asked him to take "complete rest" for the next couple of weeks.
The CBI has constituted a team of four doctors to look into Mandal's health condition. The TMC leader has said he cannot go to the CBI office because of his health condition but the detectives can question him at his residence in Calcutta.
