14 people including Trinamool Congress's Anubrata Mondal Acquitted

Kolkata: A special court in Bidhannagar cited lack of evidence and acquitted 14 people, including Birbhum district Trinamool Congress president Anubrata Mondal, in a 2010 blast case at Mongalkote in neighbouring Purba Bardhaman district.

Mondal, arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation on August 11 for his alleged involvement in a multi-crore cattle smuggling case, is in judicial custody.

In 2010, a non-bailable case was registered against Mondal at the Mongalkote police station for his alleged involvement in the blast. Several people were injured in the blast at Mullickpore, within the jurisdiction of Mongalkote police station, toward the fag end of the Left Front regime in 2010.


Mondal is currently in an Asansol jail in connection with the cattle smuggling case. He was named in the Mongalkote blast chargesheet. Mondal and 13 others, including Trinamool MLA Sheikh Shahnawaz, have been acquitted in the case, while one person has already died during the trial.

"I am very happy that the truth prevailed. Didi has supported me," Mondal told the media after the verdict, expressing his gratitude to Trinamool Supremo Mamata Banerjee.

In a party programme in Kolkata yesterday, Banerjee extended support to Mondal and said when released from jail, Mondal must be welcomed back by his party colleagues. The Bidhannagar special court in North 24 Parganas district was hearing the 2010 Mongalkote blast case. Meanwhile, Mondal was denied bail by a special CBI court in Asansol in the cattle smuggling case.