The Supreme Court on Tuesday granted bail to Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Anubrata Mondal, who has been detained for two years in connection with a cattle smuggling case. The decision was made by a bench of Justices Bela M. Trivedi and S.C. Sharma, who noted the prolonged expected duration of the trial as a key reason for granting bail.
During the proceedings, the court instructed Mondal to cooperate fully with the ongoing investigation and to surrender his passport as a condition of his bail. This condition aims to mitigate any risk of him fleeing the country or evading law enforcement.
Senior Advocate Mukul Rohatgi, representing Mondal, argued that the prolonged detention was unjustified, especially considering that four charge sheets had already been filed and all other accused had been released from jail. Rohatgi’s argument highlighted the disparity in treatment between Mondal and other individuals implicated in the same case.
However, the bail plea faced opposition from the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), represented by Additional Solicitor General S.V. Raju. Raju contended that Mondal’s release could pose a significant risk due to his influential status and previous attempts to tamper with evidence.
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The CBI has accused Mondal of being a principal facilitator in the illegal transportation of cattle from West Bengal’s Birbhum district to Bangladesh, although Mondal’s counsel has refuted these claims citing a lack of concrete evidence.
