Saradha Chit Fund Case: Rajiv Kumar, Former Kolkata Police Commissioner, Gets Anticipatory Bail

The Calcutta High Court on Tuesday granted anticipatory bail to former Kolkata police commissioner Rajiv Kumar in the Saradha chit fund scam case. The High Court had concluded hearing in this matter on Monday. Kumar was granted bail on a bond of Rs 50,000. However, he will not be able to travel outside Kolkata without permission. The High Court observed that Kumar was co-operating with the probe and thus his arrest was not required. 

On Monday, CBI lawyer YJ Dastoor concluded his submissions opposing Kumar’s pre-arrest bail plea before a division bench comprising justices S Munshi and S Dasgupta. The bench, which heard the proceedings in-camera, had adjourned the matter for the day after the CBI lawyer concluded his submissions. A pre-arrest bail plea by Kumar was earlier rejected by the Alipore District and Sessions Court on September 21.

The central probe agency has given multiple notices to Kumar, who is currently the Additional Director General in the West Bengal Crime Investigation Department (CID), to appear before it for questioning as a witness in the multi-crore Saradha chit fund scam. He, however, did not appear before the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and sought more time on every occasion. The Saradha group of companies allegedly duped lakhs of people to the tune of Rs 2,500 crore, promising higher rates of return on their investments.

(With Agency Inputs)