TMC leader Anubrata Mondal booked over abusive language in call with cop; after party’s rebuke, he apologises
In his apology letter, Mondal said, “I am sad about the recent incident. I can apologise to Didi’s police a hundred times.”
Anubrata Mondal's counsel, who arrived at the police station after 11 am, stated that he was unwell and thus could not appear before the police. (Photo: Facebook/ Anubrata Mondal) The Trinamool Congress has censured its senior leader from Birbhum, Anubrata Mondal, after an audio clip surfaced on Friday in which he was allegedly heard using abusive language in a phone call with a police inspector. Police have filed an FIR against Mondal.
He later wrote a letter apologising for his conduct, and said that he could not “imagine humiliating” any officer of “Didi’s police” — West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is also the state home minister and is in charge of the state police.
According to police sources, Mondal called Bolpur police station inspector in charge (IC), Litan Halder, on Wednesday and used abusive language against him and his family. A senior Birbhum police officer said, “The IC recorded the conversation and sent the recording to his senior officers. After that, the Chief Minister’s Office was also informed. Just after that, the TMC took a strong position against him (Mondal), and an order came from the state police headquarters for an FIR to be filed against him.”
In his apology letter, Mondal said, “I am sad about the recent incident. I can apologise to Didi’s police a hundred times.” He claimed that his anger against the inspector stemmed from some allegations that had been made against the police. He also asked “how the BJP got a clip of the conversation between me and Bolpur IC”.
“Is there any conspiracy behind this? However, if any police officer was hurt by my behaviour, I apologise,” he said in the letter.
The letter came after the TMC demanded an apology from him within four hours.
“The party unequivocally disassociates and does not endorse the comments made by Anubrata Mondal against a police officer. We strongly condemn his use of derogatory and unacceptable abusive language. The party hereby instructs him to tender an unconditional apology within the next four hours, failing which show cause proceedings will be initiated,” the party had said in a post on its X handle.
The Birbhum district police have filed a case against him.
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Birbhum SP Amandeep Singh said, “Our IC, Bolpur, Litan Halder complained against a local leader that he verbally abused him. We filed an FIR and will take strong action in the legal framework.”
In a revamp a year ahead of the Assembly elections in West Bengal, the TMC had earlier removed Mondal from the post of Birbhum district president. The district party unit is now headed by a core committee, of which Mondal is a member. Senior party MLA Ashis Banerjee is the chairperson of the committee.
In 2022, Mondal was arrested by the CBI and the ED in cases linked to alleged cattle smuggling. He was released on bail last year.