Kolkata, Sep 22 (IANS) A single-judge bench of the Calcutta High Court on Tuesday dismissed a petition filed by absconding stone-quarry owner Tulu Mondal alias Mohammad Nazibuddin, from Birbhum district, seeking interim protection from coercive police action, including arrest under a warrant issued earlier by a district court.
Mondal’s petition seeking interim protection came up for hearing on Tuesday afternoon, when the state government counsel strongly opposed the plea.
The state counsel submitted that a lower court had earlier directed the accused to physically appear before it on September 14.
“From the National Intelligence Grid, we have come to know that the accused left the country on May 23. He is absconding till date, since the charges against him are quite serious. He might repeat such offences if he is granted interim protection now,” the state government counsel argued.
The state police also submitted a progress report in the matter on Tuesday. On the request of the state government counsel, Justice Bhattacharya went through the report and subsequently dismissed Mondal’s plea seeking interim protection.
The police already confiscated assets worth Rs 220 crore belonging to Mondal. However, investigating officers believe this may represent only a fraction of his total assets.
The police have claimed that, apart from the Rs 220 crore worth of cash and gold, investigators have gathered information about nearly 400 bighas, or roughly 125 acres, of land allegedly owned directly or indirectly by Mondal.
Investigators have also gathered specific information about the alleged use of fake duplicate carbon copies by stone quarries to evade crores of rupees in state taxes during the previous Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress government.
Some state government officials, who allegedly acted as partners in the tax evasion process, are also under the scanner of investigating officers, sources said.
Apart from the arrest warrant issued earlier by the Birbhum district court, an Interpol Red Corner Notice has also been issued against Mondal.
–IANS
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