KOLKATA: Vinay Mishra, the Trinamool Congress leader accused in the illegal coal mining and cross-border cattle smuggling cases, has claimed that mere mention of his name in one of the accused person’s “diary” did not connect him to the offence.
In a petition by his lawyer with the Calcutta High Court, Mishra alleged that merely handwritten entries in a diary, now in CBI’s possession, did not connect him to the offence.
Earlier, CBI had got hold of a diary of cattle smuggling kingpin Enamul Haque and submitted the same with the special agency court in Asansol.
The counsel argued that the diary had names of several persons who were linked to the illegal trade.
Enamul had allegedly been paying hefty amounts to these persons in exchange for safe passage.
Mishra, who also volunteered to join the investigation virtually for the time being, feared that the CBI and ED will subject him to mistreatment if he returned to India.