Congress MP Chowdhury in judicial custody

Congress Member of Parliament, Adhir Chowdhury, was remanded to eight days judicial custody on Sunday, in connection with a murder case. His supporters held violent protests and fought pitched battles with the police outside the court; the police had to lathi-charge them and use teargas.

Chowdhury was, however, granted bail in a case of rioting in January, during the union elections of a cooperative, of which he is the president.

Murshidabad Superintendent of Police Neeraj Kumar Singh said, "The police were attacked with brickbats for which a lathicharge was made and a few rounds of teargas were fired. We had been prepared and had taken precautionary measures for producing Chowdhury."

Chowdhury, who was arrested in Delhi on Saturday, was remanded to judicial custody till November 28 in connection with the gunning down of Hanif Sheikh, a restaurant owner, and his son, Laltu, on July 24. In the other case of rioting, he was charged with the assault of a person named Mujibur Rehman on January 6.

Chowdhury was brought to Kolkata on Saturday evening and then taken by road to Berhampore, which he represents in the Lok Sabha. The Congress is observing a 12-hr bandh in Murshidabad, Nadia and Birbhum districts in protest against 'political conspiracy' behind his arrest.