Madan Mitra appeals to CBI to give him one chance

KOLKATA: Jailed former state minister and Trinamool Congress leader Madan Mitra today appealed to CBI to give him one chance, apparaently in getting bail, since he had cooperated with it for the last 18 months.

"Just like Sita's agnipariksha, I have been giving agnipariksha to it for the last 18 months. What should I do next? I have only one appeal to the CBI...Give me a chance," Mitra told reporters while coming out of a city court where he was produced in connection with the Saradha scam.

"Please stop at some point. Give me a chance. Tell me what should I do further. Do you want me to open the manhole and get down there just like Sita's 'patalprobesh'," the TMC leader said desperately seeking bail.

Then sounding philosophical, Mitra said that if granted bail, he would prefer to "sit in the corner seat of the last row because chances of backstabbing are less there".

"I want to be in darkness. I cannot stand so much of sunlight," Mitra said.

He observed that he had been giving "agnipariksha" to the CBI for over one and a half years, but still he was in jail while others arrested in the same case were outside.

Comparing his fate to Argentina's Lionel Messi, who today announced his retirement following a 2-4 loss to Chile in penalty shootout in the final of the Copa America, Mitra said, "He is retiring after playing the best match in his career, but I am yet to play my best."

Madan Mitra, a former state transport minister who was arrested on December 12, 2014, had surrendered before the court after his bail had been cancelled by the Calcutta High Court on November 20 last.