Order for my arrest came from Delhi: West Bengal minister Madan Mitra

Kolkata, Dec 13: West Bengal Transport and Sports Minister Madan Mitra, arrested by the CBI in connection with the Saradha group chit fund scam, Saturday told a court that the order for his arrest came from Delhi.

Giving details about his interrogation at the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) office here Friday, Mitra said "everything was going fine" and a senior official told him that he could go home after his statement was recorded.

"There everything was going fine and I answered all their questions. Everything was going fine and later joint director Rajiv Singh offered me tea. Singh said my statement is being recorded and once it is done I may go home," said Mitra, who spoke at the Chief Judicial Magistrate's court after seeking permission.

"I was having my tea when suddenly an officer came to me and said we have got a call from Delhi we will have to arrest you," said the senior Trinamool Congress leader, who was presented in the court in Alipur by the CBI seeking his custody.

Rejecting Mitra's bail plea, the judge remanded him to CBI custody till Dec 16.

The minister, a close associate of Trinamool chief and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, said he was hospitalised after falling sick Nov 17.

"Since Nov 17, I was sick and had to be hospitalised. Soon after my release, I approached the CBI that I was ready to be examined and accordingly I went to the CBI office after being called as a witness."

As soon as he finished speaking, the battery of defence lawyers started shouting, calling the CBI a "caged parrot" and sought bail for the minister.

IANS