Anubrata Mondal blames Abhishek Banerjee for his jail stint, joins TMC rebels
Synopsis
Anubrata Mondal, once the most powerful Trinamool boss in Birbhum, has done the unthinkable — publicly holding Mamata Banerjee's nephew and party MP Abhishek Banerjee responsible for his nearly two-year stint in Tihar Jail. With Madan Mitra echoing the charge the same day, the rebel bloc is no longer a whisper network; it is a public reckoning inside Bengal's ruling party.
Key Takeaways
Anubrata Mondal on 15 July directly blamed Abhishek Banerjee for his imprisonment in the CBI cow smuggling case.
Mondal claimed he urged Mamata Banerjee on four occasions to remove Abhishek from the party, but was ignored.
He was arrested in August 2022 and held in Tihar Jail before getting bail in July 2024 .
Mondal also alleged that political consultancy firm I-PAC sold election tickets to the highest bidder.
Kamarhati MLA Madan Mitra backed Mondal's claims, saying many leaders went to jail because of Abhishek Banerjee .
Mondal stopped short of a formal split, insisting he remains a Trinamool Congress member.
All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Anubrata Mondal on Wednesday, 15 July directly blamed party MP Abhishek Banerjee for his nearly two-year imprisonment in the cow smuggling case, making the explosive claim as he aligned himself with the rebel faction of the party in Kolkata. The statement marks a sharp escalation in the internal feud tearing through Bengal's ruling party.
The Accusation Against Abhishek Banerjee
Speaking to reporters after meeting rebel leaders in Kolkata, Mondal said, 'Why did I go to jail? For whom did I go? For Abhishek Banerjee.' The Birbhum Trinamool strongman further claimed he had urged Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on at least four separate occasions to remove her nephew Abhishek Banerjee — the Trinamool MP from Diamond Harbour — from the party. According to Mondal, he told her she was neither seeing nor hearing the ground reality, and pleaded with her to act, but no action was taken.
The Cow Smuggling Case and Its Aftermath
Mondal was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in the cow smuggling case in August 2022 and spent an extended period in Tihar Jail in Delhi before securing bail in July 2024. Following his release, he was notably absent from active politics in Birbhum, and a public conflict with local leader Kajal Sheikh surfaced. He also claimed he was stripped of election-related responsibilities and barred from campaigning — grievances that reportedly fuelled his growing estrangement from the Mamata Banerjee-led faction.
I-PAC, Tickets, and the Money Allegation
Mondal also trained his fire on Trinamool's political consultancy firm I-PAC, alleging it collected money from candidates and, in exchange, determined who would receive election tickets. He had previously spoken out against Abhishek Banerjee following the party's reverses in the Assembly elections, but Wednesday's statement was his most direct personal attack yet — holding Abhishek personally responsible for his imprisonment.
Rebel Camp Grows: Madan Mitra Echoes the Charge
Kamarhati MLA Madan Mitra, who had joined the rebel camp earlier the same day, backed Mondal's version of events. Mitra claimed that several party leaders had been jailed because of Abhishek Banerjee, adding pointedly that those who did not pay money ended up serving prison terms. The rebel bloc is reportedly coalescing around Leader of the Opposition in the state Assembly Ritabrata Banerjee.
Where Mondal Stands Now
When pressed by reporters on which camp he now belongs to, Mondal was careful to avoid a clean break. 'Ritabrata is also a Trinamool, I am also a Trinamool. I was with Mamata Banerjee for a long time. I was there from the beginning. I am still in the Trinamool,' he said. The statement suggests he is positioning himself within the rebel bloc while avoiding an outright split — a manoeuvre that reflects the fluid and volatile state of Trinamool's internal politics. With the rebel faction gaining prominent voices, the pressure on the Mamata-Abhishek leadership axis is set to intensify.
Point of View
It legitimises a narrative that had until now circulated only in party corridors. Madan Mitra's immediate endorsement suggests the rebel camp is coordinating its messaging. The Mamata-Abhishek axis has weathered dissent before, but this is the first time grievances have been aired this explicitly and this publicly — and that changes the political calculus ahead of any future electoral test in Bengal.
NationPress
16 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Anubrata Mondal blame Abhishek Banerjee for his imprisonment?
Anubrata Mondal alleged on 15 July that Abhishek Banerjee was directly responsible for his arrest and nearly two-year detention in Tihar Jail in connection with the CBI cow smuggling case. Mondal claimed he had pleaded with Mamata Banerjee four times to remove Abhishek from the party but received no response.
What was the cow smuggling case that led to Anubrata Mondal's arrest?
The CBI arrested Anubrata Mondal in August 2022 in connection with a cow smuggling case linked to the Bengal-Bangladesh border. He remained in Tihar Jail in Delhi for an extended period before being granted bail in July 2024.
Who is the rebel camp in Trinamool Congress?
The rebel faction of Trinamool Congress is reportedly coalescing around Leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly, Ritabrata Banerjee. Senior leaders including Anubrata Mondal and Kamarhati MLA Madan Mitra have publicly aligned with this group.
What did Madan Mitra say about Abhishek Banerjee?
Madan Mitra, who joined the rebel camp on 15 July, corroborated Mondal's claims, alleging that many Trinamool leaders were jailed because of Abhishek Banerjee. He further alleged that those who did not pay money ended up serving prison terms.
Has Anubrata Mondal formally quit Trinamool Congress?
No. Mondal has not announced a formal exit from the party. When asked which camp he belongs to, he said he remains a Trinamool member, though his alignment with the rebel faction signals deep discontent with the Mamata Banerjee-Abhishek Banerjee leadership.
