Rajeev Kumar has not responded to the CBI's summons in the case (File)
West Bengal Congress President Somen Mitra on Saturday said former Kolkata Police Commissioner Rajeev Kumar "might get killed" so that he doesn't name influential people in the Saradha chit fund scam.
Mr Kumar has not responded to the CBI's summons in the case. The agency is currently searching for him.
The senior police official, who currently serves as the additional director of the Criminal Investigation Department, has allegedly suppressed crucial evidence regarding the scam, the CBI has alleged.
"It is quite clear that if Rajeev Kumar is arrested by the CBI and he talks, several influential people will be in trouble. Several top TMC (Trinamool Congress) leaders and ministers have been interrogated and arrested by CBI in this chit fund scam. That is why the TMC government is leaving no stones unturned to protect him. There can be efforts to silence him," he said.
"We apprehend that he might get killed," Mr Mitra said in a statement.
"Rajeev Kumar headed the Special Investigation Team (SIT) formed by the TMC government to investigate the chit fund scam in 2013. But after the CBI took over the probe in 2014, there have been allegations that he suppressed crucial evidences in the case in order to help influential people involved in the scam," he added.
The Saradha group of companies allegedly duped lakhs of people to the tune of Rs 2500 crore, promising higher rates of interest on their investments.