SC notice to CBI on bail plea of TMC leader Anubrata Mondal in cattle-smuggling case
New Delhi (PTI): The Supreme Court sought the CBI's response on Monday on a bail plea moved by Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Anubrata Mondal, who has been arrested in connection with a cattle-smuggling case.
A bench of Justices Aniruddha Bose and Bela M Trivedi issued a notice to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and sought its reply within two weeks on the plea.
Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, appearing in the court on behalf of Mondal, submitted that five chargesheets have been filed in the case and everybody is out of jail except the TMC leader.
"I have spent 14 months in jail. The main kingpin was also granted bail by a bench headed by the chief justice," Rohatgi said.
The Calcutta High Court rejected Mondal's bail plea in January.
Mondal had prayed for bail, submitting that he was in custody for more than 145 days.
Holding that further investigation into the alleged amassing of illegal wealth by Mondal was continuing, the high court had said releasing him on bail at this stage would adversely affect the morale and confidence of the witnesses and seriously impact the collection of evidence.
Denying bail to Mondal, a division bench of the high court presided over by Justice Joymalya Bagchi had observed that he continued to hold a powerful political post and had an overwhelming influence not only in the society but also on the state administration.
Opposing Mondal's bail plea, it was alleged by the CBI that as a powerful political personality, the TMC leader had illegally aided and abetted cattle smuggler Enamul Haque and used his influence to ensure a smooth passage of cattle through Birbhum and Murshidabad districts of West Bengal to reach the international border in lieu of wrongful gains.
Representing Mondal, senior counsel Kapil Sibal had submitted that the main accused, Enamul Haque, and co-accused Satish Kumar, a senior Border Security Force (BSF) officer at the time of his arrest, were out on bail.
The CBI had claimed that Mondal was the main facilitator for a smooth transportation of cattle through Birbhum district to Bangladesh.
Mondal's counsel had stated that no such evidence was found.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Congress using hijab issue to pacify minority anger, alleges Karnataka LoP R Ashoka
Bengaluru: Leader of Opposition in the Assembly R. Ashoka has accused the Congress government of using the hijab issue to placate what he described as discontent among minority voters after the Davanagere by-election.
In a post on X on Wednesday, Ashoka alleged that the state government, instead of addressing issues such as price rise, corruption, farmers’ distress and law and order, was attempting to retain its minority vote base by reviving the hijab issue.
Referring to the 2022 dress code introduced by the BJP government, which prohibited hijab in schools and colleges, Ashoka said the Karnataka High Court had upheld the policy and emphasised the importance of discipline in educational institutions.
He questioned the Congress government’s move to revisit the issue and asked whether setting aside the court-backed policy to benefit one community could be described as secularism.
Ashoka further alleged that while the government was willing to permit hijab, it continued to prohibit saffron shawls.
He accused the government of dividing students on religious lines rather than treating schools and colleges as spaces of equality.
Drawing a comparison with Mamata Banerjee’s government in West Bengal, Ashoka claimed that excessive appeasement politics had harmed the state and warned that the Congress in Karnataka could face a similar political response.
He said voters in Karnataka would teach the Congress a lesson for what he termed “vote-bank politics” and for compromising constitutional and judicial principles.
