HC refuses to quash case against stone trader Tulu Mondal
Times of India | 21 August 2026
Kolkata: Calcutta HC on Thursday refused to quash proceedings against stone trader Tulu Mondal alias Md Nazibuddin in a case involving the seizure of gold bars and large amounts of cash from his brother-in-law’s house on July 29 and 30.
Mondal’s counsel, senior advocate Siddharth Dave, argued that Mondal had left the country on May 23, well before the searches, and “could not have anticipated” the seizure.
Justice Saugata Bhattacharyya asked: “Whether a prudent citizen or a man of ordinary prudence keeps such cash in the cupboard?”
Dave also argued that the cash seizure should be dealt with under the Income Tax Act rather than the BNS.
After examining a sealed envelope handed over by advocate general Surajit Nath Mitra, the judge observed that “it is an organised crime going on for which the govt is losing revenue.”
The court left Mondal free to seek bail before the jurisdictional court. A criminal revision application concerning the matter is pending and will be heard on Aug 27.