Kolkata, Aug 5 (IANS): The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probing the cattle smuggling scam in West Bengal has summoned Trinamool Congress strongman and the party's Birbhum district chief Anubrata Mondal for questioning on August 8.

Mondal has been asked to be present at CBI's Nizam Palace office in central Kolkata on Monday.

However, it is not yet clear whether Mondal will go to the CBI office on the scheduled date. "There is still a lot of time left," was Mondal's brief reaction to the summon.

The development follows recent raids by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) at the Birbhum-based residences of three of Mondal's close associates -- Kerim Khan, Tudu Mondal and Mukti Sheikh.

Kerim Khan is an accused in the case who's also under the radar of the CBI because of his alleged involvement in a post-poll violence case, in which Mondal has also been questioned by the agency sleuths.

According to the CBI, Kerim Khan is believed to be the principal route planner for cattle smuggling via Birbhum to the bordering districts of Malda and Murshidabad, from where the cattle heads were smuggled into neighbouring Bangladesh.