Calcutta HC grants anticipatory bail to Trinamool's Anubrata Mondal in fraud case
Synopsis
The Calcutta High Court has granted anticipatory bail to Trinamool Congress's Birbhum district president Anubrata Mondal in a financial fraud case where the FIR was filed five years after the alleged incident — a gap his lawyer called political vendetta. The court agreed custodial interrogation was unnecessary, but the investigation continues.
Key Takeaways
Calcutta High Court granted conditional anticipatory bail to Anubrata Mondal on 27 July in a financial fraud case.
Justice Tirthankar Ghosh ruled custodial interrogation was not required; the investigation will continue.
Mondal must meet the investigating officer within 10 days and appear whenever summoned.
The FIR was filed in 2026 over an alleged incident from 2021 — a five-year gap cited by the defence as evidence of political motivation.
Complainant Subhendu Mandal of Bolpur alleges Mondal owes him approximately ₹30 lakh and claims earlier police inaction due to his BJP affiliation.
The Calcutta High Court on Monday, 27 July granted conditional anticipatory bail to Trinamool Congress leader Anubrata Mondal in a financial fraud case, halting any immediate prospect of his arrest while directing him to fully cooperate with investigators.
Court's Reasoning
Justice Tirthankar Ghosh observed that the case was registered on the basis of a complaint lodged long before the FIR, and concluded that custodial interrogation was not warranted under the circumstances. The court ruled that the investigation could proceed without detaining Mondal, making anticipatory bail appropriate.
As a condition of the order, Mondal must meet the investigating officer within 10 days and present himself for questioning whenever summoned.
Background and Legal Journey
Mondal, who serves as the Birbhum district president of the rebel but majority faction of Trinamool Congress led by Ritabrata Banerjee — the Leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly — had first sought anticipatory bail before a lower court, fearing arrest. After that application was rejected, he approached the Calcutta High Court on 14 July with a fresh appeal.
In Monday's hearing, Mondal's counsel Ayan Bhattacharya argued that the alleged incident dates to 2021, yet the FIR was filed only in 2026 — a gap of five years. He contended that the case was motivated by political vendetta following the change of government in West Bengal after the state Assembly election.
The Underlying Complaint
The case was filed by Subhendu Mandal, a resident of Bolpur in Birbhum district, who alleged that Anubrata Mondal and several Trinamool members committed financial fraud against him. Mandal claimed Mondal owed him approximately ₹30 lakh that was never repaid.
Mandal, who identifies as a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) supporter, alleged that he faced physical attacks and verbal abuse after raising the complaint, and that the police declined to act on it at the time. He re-approached law enforcement after the change of government, which led to the FIR being registered in 2026.
Wider Context
This comes amid a broader pattern of legal cases being filed or revived against Trinamool leaders following political shifts in West Bengal. Notably, Anubrata Mondal is a prominent figure within the party's internal factions, and this case adds to a list of legal pressures facing Trinamool leaders in the post-election landscape. The court's decision to grant anticipatory bail, while keeping the investigation open, reflects a balance between personal liberty and accountability — a standard the higher judiciary has applied consistently in politically sensitive cases.
The investigation will continue, and how Mondal engages with the process over the coming weeks is likely to shape the next stage of the case.
Point of View
But also of a complainant who lacked institutional backing until a government changed. The Calcutta High Court's decision to allow the investigation to proceed without custody is legally sound, but it also means accountability will hinge entirely on how rigorously the probe is conducted. In West Bengal's charged post-election environment, cases like this risk being read purely through a partisan lens — which serves neither justice nor the complainant, who has alleged a straightforward financial wrong that went unaddressed for years.
NationPress
27 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did the Calcutta High Court grant anticipatory bail to Anubrata Mondal?
The court found that since the case was based on a complaint lodged long before the FIR, custodial interrogation was not necessary and the investigation could continue without detaining Mondal. Justice Tirthankar Ghosh granted the bail with conditions requiring Mondal to cooperate fully with investigators.
What are the conditions attached to Anubrata Mondal's anticipatory bail?
Mondal must meet the investigating officer within 10 days of the order and must appear for questioning whenever summoned by the investigating agency. Failure to cooperate could jeopardise the bail.
What is the financial fraud case against Anubrata Mondal about?
Bolpur resident Subhendu Mandal has alleged that Anubrata Mondal and several Trinamool Congress members committed financial fraud, including non-payment of approximately ₹30 lakh owed to him. Mandal, who identifies as a BJP supporter, also alleged he faced attacks for raising the complaint, and that police initially refused to act.
Why was the FIR filed in 2026 for an incident from 2021?
According to the complainant, the police did not act on his earlier complaint when Trinamool Congress was in power, allegedly because of his BJP affiliation. After the change of government in West Bengal, he re-approached police, leading to the FIR being registered in 2026.
Who is Anubrata Mondal in the Trinamool Congress?
Anubrata Mondal is the Birbhum district president of the rebel but majority faction of Trinamool Congress, which is led by Ritabrata Banerjee, the current Leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly.
