Police unearth network ‘smuggling cows from UP to Bengal for slaughter’, trace Rs 80-100 cr transactions

Sonbhadra Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) Anil Kumar said their probe into the network started after a police team first caught a vehicle carrying cows a few months ago. The police later seized cows from different parts of the district and began to trace the network, he added.

During the investigation, police came to know about cattle smuggling being operated through an organized network.

The investigation revealed the money earned from smuggling was transferred through various individuals and business bank accounts to conceal its actual source.

Police claimed to have scrutinised at least 25 bank accounts, with transactions of worth Rs 80–100 crore. After the arrest of one of the accused, Rishu Yadav alias Vikas Yadav of Sonbhadra, a detailed analysis of bank accounts revealed the money earned from cattle smuggling was not transferred directly to the members of the network but was routed through various accounts.

Apart from Rishu Yadav, other accused, identified as Vikas Yadav, and Bhagwan Yadav, were arrested in connection with the case earlier.

The investigation revealed that a large amount of cash used in cattle smuggling was deposited from the Pandua/Memari area of West Bengal.

The money, in sums of Rs 49,000 and Rs 99,000, was deposited by Raja Qureshi, a resident of Pandua in Hooghly, into the accounts of Furkan Traders, Chanda Traders, and other accounts belonging to Sheikh Sultan Ali and Mohammad Aminuddin, residents of Bihar’s Khurramabad and Bhabua areas, the officials said.

A large portion of the money was withdrawn in installments of Rs 20,000 each through ATM/UPI by Guddu alias Shamshad Qureshi of Khurumabad and Afzal Qureshi and Shehzad Qureshi of Chainpur and Bhabua, Bihar.

The probe further found that a large sum was also transferred to the common service centre (CSE) account of Sandeep Singh, and it was received by Rishu Yadav, Vikas Yadav, and other local cattle smugglers.

Money was deposited in Sandeep Singh’s bank account from the accounts of Sheikh Furkan Ali, Mohammad Aminuddin and Sheikh Sultan Ali, all residents of West Bengal.

The money was deposited primarily by Raja Qureshi, the police alleged.

The role of CSC accounts

Analysis of the bank accounts also revealed that numerous high-value transactions were being carried out through common service centre accounts.

Prima facie, it was found that these accounts were used to give large transactions an appearance of normal financial activity and to conceal the actual source of funds and beneficiaries. During the investigation, the role of Chanda Traders, Furkan Traders, and other CSC accounts came to light. After the money was transferred through these accounts, large amounts were either withdrawn in cash or transferred to personal bank accounts.

During his interrogation, Raja Qureshi revealed that 6-8 bovines each were taken in small vehicles from Sonbhadra to Mirzapur and Varanasi and then from Chainpur/ Khurumabad, in Bihar in large containers of 50–80 bovines.