Madan Mitra's bail plea rejected, custody extended till Jan 14

A city court today rejected the bail plea of Trinamool Congress leader and former West Bengal minister Madan Mitra, an accused in the Saradha chit fund scam, and extended his judicial custody by another 14 days till January 14.
Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Sougata Roy Chowdhury passed the order after Mitra's counsel pressed for bail contending the CBI investigation into the scam has yielded "no fruitful result".
Mitra, former state transport minister who was arrested on December 12, 2014, had surrendered before the court after his bail was cancelled by the Calcutta High Court on November 20.
The TMC leader's counsel said there has been a "change of circumstance" in the case and CBI's influential tag on Mitra does not stand after his resignation as the state transport minister in November and hence he be granted bail.

His counsel also said Mitra has been under custodial detention for a year and there was no allegation that the TMC leader has tried to influence anybody or tamper any proof in connection with the scam.
Mitra's frail health condition was another reason why he be granted bail, his counsel said.

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Meanwhile, former Union minister Matang Sinh, who could not be produced before the court because of his health condition, was also remanded in judicial custody till January 14.
The court also ordered setting up of a medical board, comprising doctors from the state-run SSKM Hospital, Bangur Hospital and the Jail Hospital, to review the former minister's health condition, on his counsel's request.

Another accused in the Saradha case, city-based entrepreneur and chairman of the now-defunct Xenitis Group, Santunu Ghosh, was also remanded in 14 days judicial custody.
The court allowed Ghosh to consult his personal doctor on gastric and back pain problems.