Madan Mitra, an accused in the Saradha chit fund scam, had resigned yesterday as a minister, hours after the CBI had urged the court to cancel his bail.
BJP today took potshots at West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee after Calcutta High Court cancelled the bail of Trinamool Congress leader Madan Mitra, wondering if she would now reinstate him as a minister in her Cabinet.
Mr Mitra, an accused in the Saradha chit fund scam, had resigned yesterday as a minister, hours after the CBI had urged the court to cancel his bail, saying he was still functioning as a Cabinet minister and could influence its probe.
"Now since the High Court has cancelled his bail, I will like to ask Mamata Banerjee if she will reinstate him," BJP leader Sidharth Nath Singh said, adding mockingly that he will not be able to influence probe now.
Mr Singh, who is party's co-incharge for West Bengal, told reporters that BJP welcomed the court's decision.
"CBI's endeavour must be to find all the money and return it to 17.5 lakh families affected by the scam," he said.
Earlier in the day a division bench of the Calcutta High Court comprising Justice Nishita Mhatra and Justice Tapas Mukherjee cancelled the bail of Mr Mitra and asked him to surrender immediately after receiving a copy of the order.
Mr Mitra was arrested by CBI on December 12, 2014, for alleged complicity in the Saradha scam and was granted bail by Alipore court on October 31.