CBI books BSF official, others for cattle smuggling at India-Bangladesh border

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has filed a case against former Commandant of 36 BSF Batallion Satish Kumar and three others in connection with a case related to alleged cattle smuggling on the India-Bangladesh border.

The agency conducted several searches in West Bengal, Ghaziabad, Amritsar and Raipur in connection with the case. Others booked in the case include Md Enamul Haque, Anrul Sk, Md Golam Mustafa.

The case was registered after a preliminary enquiry was conducted in the matter by the Anti-Corruption Bureau, Kolkata of the CBI.

"The preliminary enquiry revealed that cattle from India to Bangladesh across the international border of these two countries are sent in large number not through ports of trade but illegally by paying illegal gratification to the border security force personnel responsible to prevent cross border movement of men and property, safeguarding interests of India," the FIR registered on Sunday said.

The FIR alleged that during the period of Satish Kumar's posting, more than 20,000 cows were seized by the BSF before being transported across the border to Bangladesh but any vehicle carrying these mals or persons were not seized or apprehended at the time of seizure.

"Due to the close nexus between the BSF and Customs officials with traders like Haque, Anarul SK and Mustafa, the seizure lists of such seized cattle were prepared arbitrarily categorising the breed and size of the mals with an intention to reduce the upset price of the cattle during the auction," the FIR said.

"These cattle were then auctioned immediately with the help of nearest Customs station -- Jangirpur, Murshidabad. Since the cattle were shown mostly small in size and common breed in the seizure memo of BSF, the auction value of such castles was reduced which were then produced at a considerable low price by the traders due to their nexus with officials of the customs department," it added.

The CBI also alleged that in lieu of such favour Hawue used to pay Rs 2,000 per cattle to BSF officials and Rs 500 to concerned Customs officials.

( With inputs from ANI )

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