Saradha: Madan Mitra sent to CBI custody

After questioning him for 5 hours, the CBI arrested Madan Mitra on Friday in connection with the Saradha chit fund scam.

Some supporters of Madan Mitra entered the court and forced the reporters to go away from the court room. The police prevented them from doing such a move.

Madan Mitra's followers demonstrated outside the court.

When Madan Mitra was being produced in the Alipur court on Saturday,TMC activists shouted slogan and almost broke the cordon and tried to obstruct. Heavy security arrangements were made outside the court area to control any untoward situation.

They also threw flowers on Mitra as he came out of the car.

Trinamool Congress activists  hit the streets and blocked rail tracks on Saturday in protest of state Sport and Transport minister Madan Mitra’s arrest by the CBI.

All senior Trinamool leaders have been asked to join the march to put up a strong fight against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led government at the Centre.

Armed with tri-colour party flags, Trinamool supporters from different parts of Bengal took out rallies and converged at Esplanade-BBD Bag area in the heart of Kolkata.

Furious at the arrest of her aide and state transport and sports minister Madan Mitra by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in the Saradha scam, West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee on Saturday said "if an image is a proof of criminal conspiracy, arrest PM for Sahara scam."

Holding a protest rally at Kolkata's Maidan a day after the arrest of Mitra, Mamata said: "It is time to hit the streets. I ask the sportspersons to hit the streets. Our support is with you."

"Culture and sports in Bengal are under threat. Mohunbagan-East Bengal are under threat: ," said Mamata, who has been defending her minister.

Mamata Banerjee herself joined the rally which was meant to be those by sportspersons and those associated with sports to support Madan Mitra.

(Reporting by Deepayan Sinha)