"My Health Is Poor, I May Become Paralysed": Arrested Bengal Minister

West Bengal minister Jyotipriya Mallick who was arrested in the alleged multi-crore ration scam, on Friday said that his health was so bad that he might become paralysed.

"My health is bad. I have problems with my right leg. I may become paralysed," he told reporters in Kolkata while being taken to the Command Hospital for a medical check-up.

However, he did not respond to the reporters' questions on the ration scam.

A special court in Kolkata on Monday extended his custody by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) till November 13.

Mr Mallick was arrested earlier in connection with the alleged multi-crore ration scam in the state.

He has to be produced before the chief metropolitan magistrate court in Kolkata on November 13, the court stated.

An ED team on October 26 night arrested the Trinamool Congress leader and state minister in connection with the alleged case of corruption in the public distribution system.

The central agency made the arrest late at night after conducting searches at Mr Mallick's residence in Salt Lake, on the outskirts of Kolkata.

As media persons jostled and gathered around the minister while he was being whisked away by the ED sleuths, with the help of Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) personnel, the minister said he was the "victim of a grave conspiracy".

The ED had been conducting an investigation into the alleged ration distribution scheme.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)