Kolkata: Arrested Trinamool Congress legislator Dilip Mondal informed the Calcutta High Court on Monday that 39 first information reports have been lodged against him across various allegations, prompting an urgent plea for an expedited judicial hearing. The four-time lawmaker representing the Bishnupur constituency in South 24 Parganas district remains in judicial custody following orders from a trial court.
The West Bengal Special Task Force apprehended Mondal on May 27 from a hotel in Puri, Odisha, following the registration of non-bailable offences related to alleged threats and inflammatory remarks made against political opponents and Bharatiya Janata Party workers during a public gathering in his home constituency. Mondal subsequently moved the high court to contest four of the initial criminal cases filed against him.
During proceedings before Justice Saugata Bhattacharyya, senior counsel Kishore Dutta, representing the incarcerated legislator, stated that the total number of cases registered against his client had escalated to 39 to their knowledge. Dutta submitted a formal application seeking an early hearing of the petition and requested the bench to schedule the matter at the earliest convenience of the court. Justice Bhattacharyya recorded the submission and confirmed that the prayer for an early hearing will be taken up on Friday.