Madan Mitra barred from using cell, Internet

Cracking the whip, the Election Commission barred former Trinamul Congress minister Madan Mitra from using any phone or Internet services and from meeting any one except close family members. The EC imposed the restrictions after Left-Congress alliance candidate in Bhowanipore, Deepa Das Munshi, wrote to Chief Election Commissioner Nasim Zaidi urging him to keep a close watch on Mr Mitra because he could influence the voters in chief minister’s Bhowanipore Assembly constituency from his hospital bed. Mr Mitra, arrested for his alleged role in multicrore Saradha chit fund scam, was lodged in Alipore Jail from where he was shifted to SSKM Hospital on Tuesday evening after he complained of chest pain. After Left and Congress, the BJP on Friday also voiced apprehension that Mr Mitra’s cabin in SSKM Hospital may turn into chief minister’s election control room. BJP vice-president Joyprakash Majumdar urged the EC to keep Mr Mitra under round-the-clock surveillance. He also alleged that Trinamul Congress workers had visited a number of residential complexes in wards 70, 71 and 72 and threatened voters-mostly non-Bengali asking them to desist from voting on Saturday. “In accordance with the Election Commission’s order, the state home secretary has issued an order to ensure no one other than family members can visit Madan Mitra in hospital and also he can’t use any mobile phone during his stay,” said additional CEO Dibyendu Sarkar official.

Opposition has been alleging that Mr Mitra had got himself admitted in the hospital so that he could control and manage Ms Banerjee’s election in Bhowanipore. “ Mr Mitra’s entire family had campaigned for him in Kamarhati. They are all actively involved in politics then why they have been allowed to meet him ” asked CPI(M) MP Ritabrata Banerjee, adding, Mr Mitra could use his son or his wife’s cell phone.