Madan Mitra surrenders after HC turns down bail

High drama ensued on Thursday as senior Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Madan Mitra returned to surrender before a city court after the Calcutta High Court turned down his bail.

Mitra, whose resignation as West Bengal’s transport minister was accepted by the state government, was subsequently returned to judicial custody.

He is under investigation by the CBI over his alleged role in the multi-crore Saradha scam and has spent almost a year in jail.

The Division Bench of Justice Nishita Mhatre and Justice Tapas Mukherjee of the high court turned down his bail following the CBI’s plea that owing to his position as a minister Mitra is in a position to influence the course of the investigation.

The CBI counsel also alleged before the court that Mitra’s son had threatened some of the witnesses in the case. Mitra, who returned to the Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate’s court on Thursday evening to surrender, denied the allegation.

With Mitra complaining of chest pain and discomfort, a police ambulance was parked outside the court premises in case of an emergency. Incidentally, the former minister spent much of his jail time in a state-run hospital under police watch ever since he complained of a variety of ailments.

“I’m yet to receive the court’s order but since I have seen it on TV, and the court has directed to surrender, I’m going to surrender to abide by the court order,” he said after reaching the court. While it took some time for the ACJM court to receive the high court’s order, preparations began at the Alipore Central Jail .