National soccer icon Baichung Bhutia on Thursday said it is humiliating to get arrested in order to get back the possession of his own luggage, lost in transit while returning from a tournament a couple of years back.

A district judge on Thursday issued an arrest warrant against Bhutia for failing to appear before the court to identify an alleged thief who stole his luggage in a train. Sadhan Mondal, first judicial magistrate of Howrah, directed the Salt Lake police to produce Bhutia on May 20.

"Its really humiliating to get arrested for getting back my possession," Bhutia said in Kolkata on Thursday.

"I, however, do not have any official communication on it. I came to know about it from the media. What kind of system is this. I heard that the luggage had been recovered but might be lying with the police. A few weeks ago an officer came to me carrying the summon issues by the court," he added.

The national soccer captain had lost his luggage on Howrah-Chennai Coromandel Express on October 31, 2002, and a case was filed with the Shalimar GRP station.

"I regretted my inability to turn up on the given date owing to my professional commitment. The police officer asked me to confirm it in writing on the back of the summon letter. I did it. But at that point I did not know it was illegal and this is what I have to face," he said.

A person, Harekrishna Ghorui, was arrested on the charge of the theft and Bhutia had been summoned several times for identifying him and to depose in the matter. But as Bhutia had not appeared before the court, a warrant of arrest was issued against him on Thursday by the district court.

Bhutia said the luggage stolen had some important papers that belonged to his wife Madhuri and some other documents very dear to him.

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