The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Wednesday issued notice to Trinamool Congress MP and actor Deepak Adhikari, popularly known as ‘Dev’ in the movie arena, in connection with its probe into a multi-crore cattle smuggling racket in the Indo-Bangladesh border in West Bengal.

The Actor-turned Trinamool MP has been asked to appear before the sleuths on February 15 at its Nizam palace office, sources said.

The CBI had earlier interrogated several persons, including Bikash Mishra, his brother of Binay Mishra, a businessman, and Enamul Haque, the prime accused of the case, for their alleged involvement in the cattle smuggling racket. There are allegations that the cattle smugglers have allegedly bribed the BSF and Customs officials to keep their illegal business at bay.

It is learnt that Dev’s name had surfaced several times during interrogation of the accused in the case, sources said.

Dev will go to the CBI office and co-operate with the central agency, sources close to the actor said.

Though an arrest warrant was issued against Binay Mishra in connection with the cattle smuggling case, a he has been absconding. On the other hand, Bikash Mishra and Enamul Haque were taken to CBI custody, and the latter was recently granted bail by the Supreme Court.

Bikash Mishra was also arrested by another Enforcement Directorate from Delhi on March 16 last year. The ED is investigating the money laundering links of the case.

Meanwhile, political slugfest went unabated over Dev being issued CBI notice. CPI-M central committee member and former CPI-M MLA Sujan Chakraborty said, “People, with Trianmool Congress connection, get summoned due to their association. The CBI will decide whether he has any connection with the crime.”

Tapash Ray, another Trinamool MLA said, “With the municipal poll nearing, as he is a Trinamool MP,” indicating that it is a ploy against the party.