We are waiting for justice, says Mamata

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday evening met ailing party colleague Sudip Bandopadhyay at a state-run hospital in Bhubaneswar.

She took an evening flight out of Kolkata on Tuesday and went straight from Bhubaneshwar airport to meet Bandopadhyay who has been receiving treatment at a hospital. He is in CBI custody in connection with the Rose valley scam.

Talking to media persons at Bhubaneswar airport Banerjee said: " Sudip Bandopadhyay is our leader and I have come to see him in hospital. I will meet Naveen Patnaik if time permits, and will also visit the Jagannath temple."

Banerjee spoke to Bandopadhyay for 10 minutes. She thanked the judges for giving her permission to meet Bandopadhyay and Tapas Pal, another party MP who has also been arrested in the same case. She also talked to the doctors attending to her party colleague.

Talking to newsmen after meeting Bandopadhyay she said the doctors had expressed concern over his health. He has been in custody since early January.

Sudip's condition recently deteriorated and he is unable to move. He has been suffering from a heart ailment. Banerjee said that Sudip had lost 16 to 17 kgs in the past four months. " We are waiting for justice. Both Bandopadhyay and Pal are unwell. Sudipda is bed ridden and cannot walk." The veteran TMC leader turned emotional on seeing Mamata.

Bandopadhyay had expressed his desire to meet Banerjee who had opposed his arrest calling it a conspiracy of BJP. She had said that Bandopadhyay was targeted as he had criticised the demonetization of high-value notes in Lok Sabha and was one of the key persons in organising a rally in Parliament to protest against demonetization which was attended by leaders of all opposition parties including the Left. Banerjee had said: " Bandopadhyay's arrest was nothing but political vendetta of BJP."

She had sent Suvendu Adhikari and Manas Bhuniya to attend the rally to protest against Bandopadhyay's arrest. Trinamool Congress had organised many rallies in the state to protest against the arrest.

Banerjee left for Puri later on Tuesday night. She will be put up in the state guest house as she is a guest of the Odisha government.

She is likely to visit the Jagannath Temple and offer puja on Wednesday morning. She is also likely to meet Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik. The chief minister is expected to return to the city on Thursday.