Singhvi takes on CBI for 'humiliating' Kolkata top cop

New Delhi [India], Feb 4 (ANI): Criticising the "harassment" of Kolkata Police Commissioner Rajeev Kumar by the CBI, Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi on Monday said the central investigation agency should have first taken permission from the Calcutta High Court and also referred to the full SIT report in the Saradha chit fund scam case.
Talking to ANI, Singhvi said, "I don’t want to comment on what the Supreme Court will decide on this. The Calcutta High Court has clearly said that you can’t do an investigation like this. You (CBI) should have first taken permission from the High Court. It is an old case. You can call on the full SIT and ask them. They are ready to answer your queries. But just for harassment, if you do this to humiliate the top police official then what will happen?”
The CBI on Monday morning moved the Supreme Court seeking directions to Kolkata Police Commissioner Rajeev Kumar to cooperate with the investigation in the Saradha chit fund case.
The top court will hear the CBI plea on Tuesday.
In April 2013, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee set up a high-level inquiry and also a SIT probe into the collapse of chit fund company Saradha Group that left thousands of investors in the lurch. The state High Court in December 2013 formed a three-member panel to study the Special Investigation Team’s monthly report on the probe.
In 2014, the Supreme Court transferred the Saradha case to CBI.
A face-off between the Trinamool Congress-led Mamata Banerjee government in West Bengal and the BJP-led central government erupted on Sunday after a five-member CBI team moved to arrest Rajeev Kumar. They were denied entry to the Kolkata Police chief's residence and later detained. All the five CBI officers were later released.
Rajeev Kumar, a 1989-batch IPS officer of West Bengal cadre was heading a SIT on the Saradha and Rose Valley scams. The CBI wanted the top officer to hand over the seizure list made during his probe, sources said.
Reportedly, the top cop was to be questioned regarding missing documents and files but he is not responding to notices to appear before the agency. (ANI)