SC seeks response from Rajeev Kumar after CBI asks for permission to arrest top cop

The Supreme Court on Monday issued a notice to former Kolkata Police Commissioner Rajeev Kumar in a fresh plea filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) seeking custodial interrogation and permission to arrest him in connection with the Saradha Chit fund scam. A Bench headed by Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi sought a response from Kumar and posted the matter for hearing on April 15.

The probe agency on Saturday filed a fresh application in the Apex court seeking permission to arrest former Kolkata Police Commissioner Rajiv Kumar. It also sought withdrawal of the top court order of February 5 granting protection from arrest to the ex-Kolkata top cop. The probe agency further mentioned that the custodial interrogation of Kumar is required to unravel conspiracy and nexus between directors of Saradha Group and the politicians related to the case.

The plea stated that Rajeev Kumar, who appeared before CBI officials for questioning in Shillong as per the Supreme Court order, remained elusive and evaded all pertinent questions. It further said that Kumar did not assist the agency in making available crucial evidence in the chit fund cases adding that he has not disclosed any crucial information he was privy to.

CBI states Kumar who was in charge of the day-to-day functioning of the Special Investigation Team (SIT) in chit fund case, failed in collecting certain key electronic evidence relating to the case. "It is submitted that in order to recover the material evidence and to investigate in to the acts of commission and omission on the part or Bidhan Nagar Police Commissionerate and the SIT in causing concealment or causing disappearance of evidence that was collected by them during their investigation, and to investigate into the larger conspiracy aspect, it is requested that CBI be allowed to examine Rajeev Kumar and other police officers and the consequent investigation and collection of evidence if so necessitates then lie subject them to custodial interrogation," the agency said in its plea.

On March 26, a top court bench headed by Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi while perusing the status report filed by the agency said that the document reveals "something very, very serious." CBI had filed the contempt plea in the apex court against the three officers for alleged wilful and deliberate violation of top court orders.

The court's observation came after it perused the CBI's status report on the examination of Kumar in Shillong in connection with multi-crore ponzi scam cases, including the Saradha and Rose Valley scams The plea was filed after an unprecedented chain of an event on February 3 when a CBI team was detained by Kolkata Police when they reached Kumar's residence. Later, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee visited his residence. The CBI officers were taken to a police station and released later. (ANI)

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