Saradha scam: Madan Mitra's judicial remand extended

KOLKATA: A city court today extended till February 26 the judicial remand of West Bengal Transport Minister Madan Mitra, arrested by CBI for alleged complicity in the multi-crore Saradha scam.

Mitra is undergoing treatment at the state-run SSKM Hospital where he was admitted yesterday and would be examined by a psychiatrist there.

As today was the date of production of Mitra before the court of ACJM Haradhan Mukhopadhyay, the case diary and related papers were submitted before the court in the minister's absentia.

CBI counsel Partha Sarathi Dutta, who submitted the papers relating to Mitra, prayed for extension of his judicial remand.

Mitra's counsels did not move any bail prayer. Judge Mukhopadhyay extended Mitra's judicial remand till February 26.

A section of lawyers in an Alipore court on Monday had demanded a hearing before any order was passed on the incorporation of Section 409 of the IPC (criminal breach of trust by a public servant) against Mitra in the Saradha case on a plea by CBI.

They also told the court that as a senior lawyer died yesterday, they were not attending court as a mark of respect and as such the judge should not pass any order in this matter.

Additional chief judicial magistrate Haradhan Mukhopadhyay remained firm and the court finally passed the order.

The IPC Sections earlier slapped against Mitra, who was arrested on December 12 last, mandated the charge sheet to be filed within 60 days of arrest. He had been charged under sections 420 (cheating) and 120B (criminal conspiracy) of IPC.

With Section 409 having been incorporated, the bail prayer of Mitra was rejected by the district sessions judge yesterday.

Meanwhile, Dr Pradip Mitra, the director of SSKM Hospital where Mitra is admitted, said that his blood pressure and other physical parameters were better than yesterday.

"He will be examined by a psychiatrist," he said, adding the doctors were keeping a watch on his health and further decision would be taken accordingly.