SC grants bail to TMC leader Anubrata Mondal in alleged cattle smuggling case

New Delhi [India], July 30 (ANI): The Supreme Court on Tuesday granted bail to Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Anubrata Mondal in an alleged cattle smuggling case with various conditions, including not influencing witnesses.

A bench of justices, Bela M Trivedi and Satish Chandra Sharma, imposed various conditions, including not influencing witnesses among others while giving bail to Mondal.

The top court also directed Mondal to surrender his passport and cooperate in trial.

Senior Advocate Mukul Rohatgi, for Mondal, said that his client has been in jail for two years and other co-accused in the case are released on bail.

Anubrata Mondal has filed a petition through advocate on record Lzafeer Ahmad BF in the Supreme Court challenging the Calcutta High Court order, which rejected his bail plea.

Anubrata Mondal was arrested in the case by the CBI in August 2022. The CBI had earlier arrested a former Border Security Force (BSF) commandant in connection with illegal cattle smuggling across the India-Bangladesh border, as per sources.

Anubrata Mondal’s name came under the scanner during the investigation of the case, the sources added.

As per the CBI investigation, over 20,000 cattle heads had been seized by the Border Security Force (BSF) between 2015 and 2017 as they were being smuggled across the border.

Anubrata, his daughter Sukanya, former bodyguards Sehgal, and Enamul Haque and BSF commandant Satish Kumar, who were arrested by the CBI and ED in connection with the case.

Anubrata Mondal is said to be a close aide of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, he was arrested by the CBI in connection with the case in July 2022.