Saradha scam: PBT moves Calcutta HC, seeks disclosure of TMC leader Madan Mitra's health records

"We have filed a new appeal in Calcutta HC (copy attached) against the West Bengal Information Commission (WBIC) seeking direction for disclosure of the medical certificates and health records issued by SSKM doctors based on which Mr. Mitra was released from jail and was kept in a special medical unit at SSKM hospital," said  PBT president Kunal Saha.

Mitra, a former MLA and West Bengal minister, was arrested in 2014 by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in connection with the case prompting state Chief Minister and TMC chief Mamata Banerjee to hit the streets protesting against the detention.

"Earlier a single-judge bench had dismissed PBT's petition to obtain Mitra's medical certificates on the erroneous belief that there was no public interest involved in this matter," the PBT claimed.

Saha further said: "It is apparent that doctors at SSKM hospital issued a false medical certificate that Mr. Mitra was so gravely ill that he could not be kept in a jail cell.  We appealed before the WBIC that this information has great public interest and an analysis by independent medical experts was necessary to uncover the truth and extraneous political influences used in this high profile case."

Mitra had unsuccessfully contested the 2016 West Bengal Assembly Elections from jail. He was a TMC candidate from Kamarhati. Later in 2019, he was once again picked up by Mamata as the TMC candidate for Bhatpara Assembly bypoll but Mitra, who is in politics for a long time, was defeated by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Apart from Mitra, BJP leader Mukul Roy, who was then a TMC heavyweight, was summoned by the CBI for questioning in 2015.

Image Credit: Madan Mitra Facebook