Kolkata, Aug 23, 2022, IANS

Kolkata, Aug 23 (IANS): Justice Rajesh Chakraborty, the judge of the special court of Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) at Asansol in West Burdwan district of West Bengal, who is dealing with the case related to cattle smuggling has received a threat letter.

In the letter, signed by one Bappa Chattopadhyay, it has been mentioned that unless Chakraborty grants bail to the prime accused -- Trinamool Congress strongman, Anubrata Mondal in the next hearing, he and his other family members will be booked in narcotics case.

In fact, threatening people to be booked under narcotics case had been an old habit of Mondal as the Trinamool Congress' Birbhum district president. In the past too, there had been several complaints against him on this count and even a video went viral a few years ago wherein Mondal was seen directing a senior police office to book one woman BJP supporter in a narcotics case.

It has been learnt that Justice Chakraborty received the threat letter on August 20.

The very next day, he informed the district judge who then apprised the Calcutta High Court about the matter.

Meanwhile, the legal fraternity has condemned the development.

Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya, a senior advocate at the Calcutta High Court and the CPI-M Rajya Sabha member said such events are nothing new since 2011 - the year when Trinamool Congress came to power in West Bengal.

"Other judges too have made similar threat complaints in the past. The development proves to what stage the law and order situation in West Bengal has deteriorated," he said.

Senior counsel of Calcutta High Court, Kaushik Gupta said the development proves the gravity of the case and "desperation" associated with it.

"The police should investigate the matter and find out who is actually responsible for showing such an audacity towards an honourable judge," he said.