SC adjourns hearing on bail plea of TMC leader Anubrata Mondal to Feb 27

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The Supreme Court on Monday adjourned to February 27 the hearing on the bail plea moved by Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Anubrata Mondal, arrested in connection with a cattle-smuggling case.

A bench of Justice Bela M Trivedi and Justice Pankaj Mithal, meanwhile, directed the lower court to proceed with the trial on February 22.

During the hearing, senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, appearing on behalf of Mondal, submitted that four charge sheets have been filed in the case and everybody is out of jail except the TMC leader.

He told the court that Mondal is in jail for one-and-half years while the main accused has got bail in the case.

"There are 309 witnesses. I am the only person who is in jail while others have got bail," Rohatgi told the court adding that the trial is not progressing in the case.

Additional Solicitor General S V Raju, appearing for the Central Bureau of Investigation, opposed the bail plea saying Mondol is a very influential person and added he was involved in tampering with evidence.

The Calcutta High Court rejected Mondal's bail plea in January last year. The Trinamool Congress leader had prayed for bail, submitting at that time 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 that 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 the smooth transportation of cattle through the Birbhum district to Bangladesh. Mondal's counsel had stated that no such evidence was found.