The CBI on Friday for the first time went on record telling a city court that Bengal Transport Minister Madan Mitra was one of the main players in the “criminal conspiracy” involving the multi-crore Saradha chit fund case before and demanded a14-day extension of his judicial remand on the ground that an influential and powerful Minister could influence the witnesses and tamper with available evidence. The CBI also told the court that his judicial remand was necessary as the Minister had not yet answered a whole lot of questions and that his interrogation would be necessary after certain future developments.
However, praying for bail, Mitra himself told the court that though he knew Saradha chief Sudipto Sen since 2009 he had nothing to do with his chit fund business adding, “if it is proved that I have taken even a rupee from him then I am ready to be hanged for this.” The ACJM of Alipore Police Court rejecting his lawyer’s bail plea remanded the Minister to a two-week judicial custody but not before the CBI raising the issue of the Minister being accorded special status inside the jail where he was being given free access to all corners of the jail, special messages, outside foods and mobile phone service all of which go against jail manual.
Raising the issue subsequently BJP State president Rahul Sinha also threatened to haul Kolkata Police to the dock over giving special treatment to the Minister. Sinha told the media that his party could take legal action against the Kolkata Police if the Commissioner failed to justify the reason behind allowing Mitra to be ferried to the court in a police SUV and not a standard prison van earmarked for an undertrial.
“Every undertrial is ferried to the court in a prison van but in case of Madan Mitra, the police are bringing him in their vehicle. I want to ask the commissioner as to why the Minister is getting this preferential treatmentIJ If he cannot give a judicious explanation then we will be forced to move the court,” Sinha said. Meanwhile, the advocate of another jailed Trinamool MP Kunal Ghosh on Friday told the court that his client would want to file a petition under RTA to know as to whether the State Government had written to the CBI for transferring him out of the State. According to sources, the State had told the CBI about its unwillingness to take the responsibility of Ghosh any longer. Ghosh was also remanded to a 14-day judicial custody on Friday.