The Indian Central Bureau of Intelligence (CBI) has recently detected the alleged involvement of the Border Security Force (BSF) personnel of India in cattle smuggling through the India-Bangladesh border.
The investigation by the CBI found that a number of BSF personnel in collaboration with the Indian Customs were engaged in cattle smuggling on the Indo-Bangladesh border for a long period, reports the German news agency DW on Friday.
BSF usually cites cattle smuggling as the main reason for killing unarmed Bangladeshis on the border. They argued most of the people, who were killed by the BSF, were cattle smugglers and the killing took place when they tried to nab the smugglers.
But the CBI findings tell a different story. It said that since long, the BSF personnel have been involved in illegal trade and many of them amassed huge amount of money.
According to the CBI investigation, Satish Kumar, a BSF official, became owner of several houses in posh areas of Kolkata and other states.
Mr Kumar was the commandant of the 36 Battalion of the BSF. He was posted in Malaga and Murshidabad. CBI has recently sealed his Kolkata residence in Salt Lake area.
Before unearthing the involvement of Mr Kumar, the CBI interrogated some other BSF personnel and Customs officials, who gave the tip off about Satish Kumar.
Satish Kumar had been posted on the border for 16 months only and he was involved in smuggling of around 20 thousand cattle, the CBI probe revealed.
Talking to the German news agency, Congress leader of the West Bengal Odhir Chowdhury said that ruling party politicians have also links to the cattle smuggling to Bangladesh as they get a share of the proceeds of such an illicit trade.
