New Delhi, Sep 10, 2024
The Delhi High Court on Tuesday granted bail to Sukanya Mondal, the daughter of Trinamool Congress leader Anubrata Mondal, in connection with a money laundering case linked to the alleged cattle smuggling scam in West Bengal.
Anubrata Mondal is also in judicial custody presently in connection with the same case.
A bench of Justice Neena Bansal Krishna took note of the submission that being a woman, Sukanya Mondal is entitled to the benefit of bail under proviso to Section 45 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
While out on bail, Sukanya Mondal will not attempt to influence witnesses or tamper with evidence and will not leave the country without the permission of the court, the high court order said.
Further, she will be required to furnish a personal bond of Rs 10 lakh with a surety of the like amount.
Under Section 45 of the PMLA, twin tests must be met to obtain bail. First, the court should be convinced that there are reasonable grounds for believing that the accused is not guilty of such an offence. Second, the court should be convinced that the accused seeking bail is not likely to commit any offence while out on bail.
However, the proviso to Section 45 of the PMLA empowers the court to release a person on bail who is under the age of sixteen years or is a woman or is sick or is accused of money-laundering involving a sum of less than Rs 1 crore, without satisfying the twin conditions.
In June, Sukanya Mondal petitioned the Supreme Court saying that her bail application was listed for 22 dates but was adjourned on many occasions in a “callous manner”, without considering the fact that she has been in custody for more than one year.
“We will only request the high court to decide your bail application,” the top court had said, as it asked the Delhi HC to decide the bail plea within three weeks after reopening on completion of vacation.
In July 2023, the Delhi High Court had issued notice on Sukanya Mondal’s plea challenging the trial court’s decision to deny her bail.
A primary school teacher in West Bengal’s Birbhum district, Sukanya Mondal was arrested in April last year by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. She, among others, is accused as a co-conspirator and beneficiary in the cattle smuggling case.
In September 2020, the CBI lodged an FIR against Mohd Enamul Haque, BSF Commandant Satish Kumar and others regarding smuggling of cattle through the India-Bangladesh border in West Bengal.
In July this year, the Supreme Court granted bail to Trinamool leader Anubrata Mondal in connection with the corruption case linked to the multi-crore cattle smuggling case.
However, the Trinamool leader remained in jail as he was also arrested by the ED in connection with the money laundering case linked to the same scam.(Agency)
