Former Tripura PWD minister Badal Chowdhury arrested

CPI(M) central committee member Badal Chowdhury, accused of being involved in a Rs 630 crore scam that allegedly took place during his tenure as the PWD minister during the Left Front rule in Tripura, has been arrested, police said on Tuesday.

West Tripura district Superintendent of Police Manik Das said that Chowdhury was arrested on Monday night.

He was absconding after a local court denied him anticipatory bail on Wednesday.

"Acting on information that Chowdhury was admitted to a hospital, police arrested him. He would be taken into custody after he recovers from his illness," Das told reporters.

Former chief minister Manik Sarkar, CPI(M) state committee secretary Gautam Das and other Left leaders visited the hospital on Monday night to meet Chowdhury.

Hospital sources said the condition of the former PWD minister is critical.

Meanwhile, the Tripura High Court heard the anticipatory bail plea of Chowdhury on Monday.

The court has reserved its verdict till Tuesday.

Former Kolkata Mayor Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya participated in Chowdhury's bail plea hearing while Advocate General Arun Kanti Bhowmick opposed the petition.

Former PWD engineer-in-chief Sunil Bhowmik had been arrested and a warrant issued against former chief secretary Yashpal Singh in connection with the scam.