Archive · 20 Aug 2026
Calcutta High Court Rejects Tulu Mondal’s Arrest Protection Plea
The Calcutta High Court was asked to stop police from arresting Tulu Mondal.
Police are investigating cash and gold found at a relative’s house.
They found Rs 28.5 crore in cash and 15 kg of gold.
The relative, Minar Mondal, was arrested.
Tulu Mondal has not been found by police.
His lawyer said that keeping money and gold at home was not automatically a crime.
The court said the investigation should continue and that the amount recovered was very large.
The court compared Mondal to Indrajit from the Ramayana, saying he was watching from behind the clouds.
The Calcutta High Court refused to protect Birbhum stone trader Tulu Mondal from arrest.
The court said police should continue investigating the recovery of Rs 28.5 crore and 15 kg of gold.
Mondal’s relative Minar Mondal was arrested, while Tulu Mondal has not been traced.
Mondal’s lawyer argued that possessing cash and gold was not itself an offence under the Indian Penal Code.
An arrest warrant and Interpol Red Corner Notice have been issued against Mondal, who was ordered to appear before a Suri court.
- Who
- Birbhum stone trader Tulu Mondal, his relative Minar Mondal, the Calcutta High Court, and West Bengal police.
- What
- The High Court rejected Mondal’s plea seeking protection from arrest and declined to stop the police investigation.
- When
- Thursday; the Suri court had directed Mondal to appear by Friday morning.
- Where
- The case concerns a cash and gold recovery from Minar Mondal’s house in Deucha village, Birbhum, and proceedings in the Calcutta High Court.
- Why
- The court said the investigation should continue and that it should not interfere with the investigating agency at this stage.
Mondal’s Legal Arguments
Police and Court’s Position
Meaning of the recovery
Mondal’s Legal Arguments
Senior advocate Dushyant Dave argued that keeping cash and gold at home was not an offence under the Indian Penal Code, and that unexplained assets could be addressed under the Income Tax Act.
Police and Court’s Position
The court noted that the recovered amount was not small but huge and declined to stop the investigation.
Organised-crime provisions
Mondal’s Legal Arguments
Dave questioned the use of organised-crime provisions in the case.
Police and Court’s Position
Justice Saugata Bhattacharyya said any objection to the sections invoked could be raised before the concerned magistrate.
Protection from arrest
Mondal’s Legal Arguments
Mondal sought protection from arrest before the High Court ahead of the deadline to appear before the Suri court.
Police and Court’s Position
The court dismissed the plea, saying the investigating agency should be allowed to proceed and refusing to interfere at this stage.
- Cash recovered
- Rs 28.5 crore
- Gold recovered
- 15 kg
- Recovery location
- The house of Minar Mondal in Deucha village under Mohammadbazar police station, Birbhum
- Court ruling
- The Calcutta High Court rejected Tulu Mondal’s plea for protection from arrest
- Legal notices
- An arrest warrant and an Interpol Red Corner Notice have been issued against Mondal
- Related arrest
- Minar Mondal was arrested
- Court deadline
- The Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate’s court in Suri directed Tulu Mondal to appear by Friday morning