Trinamool Congress leader Anubrata Mondal, who recently came back to his residence in West Bengal’s Birbhum district after more than two years in Tihar Jail for various cases, showed strong backing for party chief Mamata Banerjee.
As Mondal arrived at his home in the Nichupatti area of Bolpur town, he was welcomed by his supporters with the sound of traditional conch shells, drum beats, and the spreading of green ‘gulaal’.
Outside his house, Mondal, accompanied by his daughter Sukanya, told reporters that he has a close bond with Banerjee: “I stood by Didi before and will continue to support her.” I send my best wishes for Durga Puja to her. “When asked about meeting the CM, he expressed concerns about his health and mentioned suffering from pain in his legs and hips,” he said.
However, sources mentioned that there is a chance that Banerjee, who is planning to go to Bolpur for a meeting and to evaluate the flood situation, might have a meeting with the TMC leader seen as her trusted ally. She frequently calls Mondal by his nickname ‘Keshto’.
A local party leader mentioned that in Bolpur town, welcome gates have been constructed at various intersections and posters have been displayed to show Anubrata Mondal that he is being missed by the residents.
The CBI and ED are looking into matters concerning properties, land deals, and enterprises connected to Mondal and his daughter. While he was the president of TMC in Birbhum, no new president was appointed during his absence following his arrest in August 2022. The party’s activities were being supervised by a central team.
In July of this year, Anubrata Mondal was given bail by the Supreme Court on the condition that he hand over his passport and assist the CBI. Nonetheless, he stayed in Tihar Jail because of a simultaneous investigation by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) into a suspected cattle smuggling scheme.
After more than two years of being arrested, Mondal was able to obtain bail in the ED case on September 20. In April 2023, Sukanya, his daughter, was arrested and accused of being an accomplice, but on September 10, she was granted bail by a Delhi court.