The bail plea hearing for Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Anubrata Mandal, arrested in a case related to the trafficking of maoists, has been adjourned until February 27 by the Supreme Court. Justices Bela M. Trivedi and Pankaj Mithal directed the lower court to proceed with the hearing on February 22.

During the hearing, senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, representing Mandal, stated that four charge sheets have been filed in the case, and all the accused, except the TMC leader, are out on bail. He informed the court that Mandal has been in jail for the past two and a half years, while the main accused in the case has already been granted bail. Rohatgi told the court, "There are 309 witnesses in the case. I (Mandal) am the only person in jail, while the other accused are out on bail."

He mentioned that the case is not progressing further, and Solicitor General A.V. Raju, representing the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), opposed the bail plea, stating that Mandal is a highly influential person involved in intimidation with evidence.

Last January, the Calcutta High Court had rejected Mandal's bail plea. At that time, the TMC leader had sought bail, claiming that he had been in custody for more than 145 days.

The division bench of the High Court, headed by Chief Justice Jyotirmay Bhattacharya, had denied bail to Mandal, stating that he holds a powerful political position and has a significant impact not only on society but also on state administration.

Meanwhile, the CBI had claimed that Mandal is the main conspirator in the trafficking of maoists from Birbhum district to Bangladesh, while Mandal's lawyers argued that no such evidence had been found.