Stack of currency notes on table, TMC leader in frame: Viral video sparks political row in WB

Kolkata, Jan 5: A video clip purportedly showing bundles of currency notes stacked on a table with a TMC leader seated behind it went viral on social media, sparking a political row in West Bengal, where elections would be due in a few months.
Mohammad Giasuddin Mondal, vice-chairman of the Barasat I Panchayat Samiti in North 24 Parganas district, was seen seated alongside local businessman Rakibul Islam, with what appears to be a large amount of cash spread out on the table.
In the clip, a voice was heard asking over the phone whether a purchase would be made “in cash or on finance”, while another person later arrived carrying a nylon bag that was also filled with money. The video triggered allegations of illicit cash transactions. However, Mondal dismissed the charge, claiming that the clip dates back to 2022 and that he had no role in the transaction. “I was merely sitting there. It is an old video. Some friends were involved in a land deal. That is all I know,” he said.
Islam, seen in the video speaking on the phone, also denied any wrongdoing, saying the cash was related to a land transaction. (PTI)