Cattle smuggling case: Supreme Court asks Delhi HC to expeditiously decide Sukanya Mondal's bail plea

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday asked the Delhi High Court to expeditiously decide the bail application moved by Sukanya Mondal, daughter of TMC leader Anubrata Mondal, in connection with a money laundering case linked to the alleged cattle smuggling case.

Before the apex court, senior advocate Vikas Pahwa representing Mondal submitted that her plea seeking bail remains pending for 11 months before the Delhi High Court and in the last hearing, the matter was plainly adjourned and ordered to be listed on July 12.

“We will only request the High Court to decide your bail application,” a Vacation Bench headed by Justice Aravind Kumar told Pahwa.

Asking the High Court to decide the bail plea within three weeks after reopening on completion of vacation, the Bench, also comprising Justice Sandeep Mehta, clarified that they have not expressed any opinion on the merits of the case and all contentions of both parties are left open.

In July 2023, the Delhi High Court had issued notice on Mondal’s plea challenging the trial court’s decision to deny her bail. The case remained pending since then.

The Special Leave Petition filed through advocate Mrinal Kumar Sharma said that the bail application was listed for 22 dates but was adjourned on many occasions in a callous manner, without considering the fact that the petitioner has been in custody for more than one year.

Sukanya Mondal, a primary school teacher in West Bengal's Birbhum District, was arrested in April last year by the Enforcement Directorate under the provisions of Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

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 Indo-Bangladesh Border.