In yet another embarrassment for the ruling Congress in Assam, a court on Thursday sent a former minister, who had earlier defied several summons and had reportedly gone into hiding, to seven days' judicial custody in a 2011 assault case.
The court of the chief judicial magistrate in Karimganj district on Thursday rejected the bail petition filed by former border areas development minister Siddeque Ahmed, and ordered police to arrest him.
The supporters of Ahmed -- who was present in the court -- opposed the court's direction and protested when police wanted to take him into custody.
Police resorted to baton-charge to disperse the crowd from the court premises.
Ahmed was later formally arrested.
The former minister and Congress legislator from the Barak Valley had reportedly gone into hiding after the court issued an arrest warrant against him.
Ahmed had earlier defied several summons of the court and did not appear before it.
Another Congress legislator from the Barak Valley, Rumi Nath, is languishing in custody after police found her having links with a notorious auto theft racket kingpin.
The court had wanted Ahmed to appear in connection with a case filed by a man named Rezaul Karim, who had alleged that Ahmed and his men beat him up in 2011.
The court had on March 19 issued the arrest warrant against Ahmed and asked him to present himself before it by March 25.
As Ahmed did not appear on March 25, the court issued a roving arrest warrant against him.
"After the court's direction, we arrested Ahmed. He will be produced before the court again after the judicial custody for further instruction," said Karimganj Superintendent of Police B.P. Rabha.
Ahmed and another senior minister Ardhendu Dey were dropped from the cabinet by Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi last year for anti-party activities.
