MHA asks Bengal government to initiate disciplinary action against Rajeev Kumar

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Tuesday asked the West Bengal Government to initiate disciplinary proceedings against Commissioner of Police of Kolkata Rajeev Kumar. In a letter addressed to the chief secretary of West Bengal, the MHA cited indisciplined behaviour and violation of All India Services (Conduct) Rules, 1968/AIS (D&A) Rules, 1969 by the officer. The letter dated February 5 mentioned that as per information received by the MHA, Rajeev Kumar sat on a dhama along with some police officers with Chief Minister of West Bengal Mamata Banerjee at the Metro Channel in Kolkata, that is prima facie in contravention of the extant provisions of AIS (Conduct) Rules, 1968/AIS (Discipline & Appeal) Rules, 1969. 

The MHA communication cited the extant provisions of the Rules 3(1), 5(1) and 7 of the AIS (Conduct) Rules, 1968. which were reportedly flouted by Rajeev Kumar.

A three-judge bench of the apex court hearing the CBI’s plea against Rajeev Kumar on Tuesday asked him to appear before the central investigating agency in Shillong and to fully cooperate in the investigation of Saradha chit fund scam. Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi said that the contempt petition will be dealt with later. Mamata Banerjee said that she was “absolutely happy” with the Supreme Court verdict directing Kolkata Police Commissioner Rajeev Kumar to appear before the CBI in Shillong.

Attorney General (AG) KK Venugopal opened the argument on behalf of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), alleging destruction of evidence in the chitfund scam case. The Kolkata Police has provided doctored call data records, the AG said. He also said Kolkata Police Commissioner Rajeev Kumar was heading the SIT set up by the West Bengal government to probe the case.

Senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, appearing for Kumar alleged that the CBI’s action was meant to score points. The applications, accusing the Kolkata Police chief of destroying evidence related to the case, has alleged that an extraordinary situation has arisen in which top police officials of the West Bengal Police are sitting on a dharna along with a political party in Kolkata.