The Calcutta High Court directed the West Bengal government to file a detailed status report on 11 criminal cases against TMC MLA Dilip Mondal, arrested over allegations including provocative speeches and criminal intimidation, while hearing his plea seeking quashing of the criminal proceedings initiated against him.
The Calcutta High Court directed the West Bengal government to submit a detailed status report regarding the 11 criminal cases registered against Trinamool Congress (TMC) MLA Dilip Mondal, who was recently arrested in connection with multiple allegations, including provocative speeches and criminal intimidation.
The direction was passed by a vacation bench of Justice Shampa Dutt (Paul), which asked the State to place the report before the appropriate regular bench after the High Court resumes functioning following the summer vacation. Mondal had approached the High Court seeking quashing of the criminal proceedings initiated against him.
Dilip Mondal, the MLA from Bishnupur South constituency in West Bengal’s South 24 Parganas district, was apprehended by police from Puri in Odisha and subsequently brought back to West Bengal for investigation in the criminal cases lodged against him.
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During the hearing, counsel appearing for the State informed the Court that Mondal was presently in custody in connection with 11 separate criminal cases. The cases were reportedly registered following allegations of inflammatory remarks, intimidation and provocation made during recent political events in the State.
The controversy surrounding Mondal intensified after a video clip allegedly featuring the MLA went viral on social media platforms earlier this month. In the video, Mondal was purportedly heard issuing threats against workers and supporters of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and making provocative statements during a political gathering.
The remarks allegedly took place during a TMC victory rally held on May 11. Following circulation of the video online, complaints were lodged with the police, after which authorities initiated an investigation into the statements attributed to the MLA.
Police sources stated that a criminal case was subsequently registered against Mondal on allegations relating to provocation, intimidation and threatening members of the rival political party.
As part of the ongoing investigation, police teams earlier carried out search operations at two properties linked to Mondal in Pailan, located on the southern outskirts of Kolkata.
The searches attracted significant public and political attention after visuals of the MLA’s residence surfaced on social media. Images of the sprawling property, featuring landscaped lawns, luxurious interiors and a large swimming pool, quickly went viral online, triggering widespread debate and criticism from opposition leaders and social media users alike.
Several users compared the property to a luxury resort, leading to further political controversy in the State. The searches and subsequent arrest also intensified the political confrontation between the ruling TMC and the opposition BJP, with both sides accusing each other of politically motivated actions.
Dilip Mondal is a prominent TMC leader and had earlier served as a Minister of State in the West Bengal government between 2016 and 2021. He successfully retained the Bishnupur assembly constituency in South 24 Parganas district during the last Assembly elections. Over the years, Mondal has remained an influential political figure in the region and has frequently been involved in local political campaigns and organisational activities of the Trinamool Congress.
While hearing Mondal’s plea challenging the criminal proceedings, the Calcutta High Court sought a comprehensive update from the State regarding the nature of allegations, investigation status and the progress made in all 11 cases.
The matter is now expected to be taken up before a regular bench once the Court reopens after the summer vacation. The High Court’s direction comes amid heightened political tensions in West Bengal and continuing scrutiny over allegations of political violence and inflammatory speeches linked to recent electoral developments in the State.
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