Tripura court sends CPI-M leader to judicial custody

A district court in Tripura on Friday sent veteran CPI-M leader and former Left Front minister Badal Choudhury to three-day judicial custody in a corruption case.

An eight-time NLA, Choudhury has been in hospital with many ailments since he was arrested by the crime branch on October 21 in connection with the 'PWD scam.'

"West Tripura district and sessions court Special Judge Sabyasachi Datta Purkayastha after a long hearing sent Choudhury to three-day judicial custody," defence lawyer Purosattam Roy Barman told media.

He said the court also asked the police and jail authorities to provide proper health facilities and other services inside the jail as per Choudhury's official status.

The former minister also told the court himself that "he suspects that he might be murdered as a conspiracy has been hatched against him."

The Left leader would be produced in court on Monday.

Choudhury, a CPI-M central committee member, had moved the High Court on October 18 after West Tripura district and sessions court special judge on October 16 rejected his anticipatory bail petition.

On October 31, Tripura High Court judge Arindam Lodh had rejected Choudhury's bail petition.IANS