Former West Bengal police chief Rajeev Kumar today moved the Calcutta High Court, seeking cancellation of the CBI notice served to him over alleged suppression of facts in the Saradha chit fund scam case. CBI had asked Rajeev Kumar to appear before it and help with investigation in the case.
Rajeev Kumar, a former Kolkata Police Commissioner has been posted in the Crime Investigation Department (CID) of the West Bengal Police.
He was removed from the top post by the Election Commission during the poll process and was attached to the Home Ministry in New Delhi. West Bengal government had reinstated him after the model code of conduct was withdrawn.
Last week, the Supreme Court had dismissed Rajeev Kumar's plea, seeking extension of protection from arrest in the multi-crore chit fund scam case. A vacation bench of the top court, headed by Justice Arun Mishra had said that said he could approach the Calcutta High Court for seeking relief in the case.
In January, the Centre and the state government had faced an unprecedented standoff after a CBI team, which went to Rajeev Kumar's home to question him, had to retreat following police intervention. Chief Minister Banerjee had come out in his defence and launched a protest against the Centre's move in Kolkata.
On February 5, the Supreme Court had prevented the agency from any coercive action against Rajeev Kumar, while directing the former police commissioner to appear and co-operate in CBI questioning at a "neutral place". He was questioned by the CBI for nearly five days in Shillong from February 9.
Rajeev Kumar, who was appointed Commissioner of Police in 2012, had served as the head of the Special Investigation Team (SIT) which probed the ponzi scams before the CBI took over.
Last month, the CBI had told the Supreme Court that Rajeev Kumar's custodial interrogation was necessary since he was not cooperating in the probe and was "evasive" and "arrogant" in answering the queries put to him.
As part of the Rs 2,500-crore scam, the Saradha group of companies duped lakhs of customers, promising higher rates of returns on their investment, the agency said.
Similar modus operandi was adopted by other ponzi companies like Rose Valley operating in West Bengal, Odisha and North Eastern states where gullible investors were duped, it added.
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