The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has summoned Anubrata Mondal, the Trinamul president in Birbhum, for a round of questioning on February 14 in connection with its probe into a multi-crore cattle smuggling case.

He has been asked to appear at the CBI’s Nizam Palace office a day before Trinamul MP and actor Deepak Adhikari a.k.a. Dev, is supposed to appear for a round of interrogation in connection with the same case.

This is the second time that the central agency has summoned Mondal in recent times. In January, the CBI summoned him in connection with its probe into the alleged murder of Gourab Sarkar, a BJP worker from Birbhum's Illambazar, after the 2021 Assembly polls results were out.

Till late Thursday, it was not clear if Mondal would appear on Monday. He had not turned up last time citing illness.

“There are several chains in the cattle smuggling case, which appears to be spread across several districts of Bengal. A few of them have their roots in the Birbhum district,” said a senior CBI officer. “We would want to question Mondal on these. His statements will be recorded and that will serve as crucial evidence in this case.”

Last week, Mondal had moved high court seeking immunity from arrest after the CBI had summoned him to question in connection with its on-going probe in post-poll violence in Bengal. The high court, while granting him immunity from arrests, directed him to cooperate with the central investigating agency.

As a part of its probe, the CBI earlier questioned several persons, including Bikash Mishra, brother of Vinay Mishra, a businessman allegedly involved in the cattle smuggling case.

The agency also interrogated Enamul Haque, the prime accused in the case. Both Bikash and Haque were taken to CBI custody, and the latter was recently granted bail by the Supreme Court.