Setback for Mamata, Supreme Court orders Kolkata Police Chief to appear before CBI

The Supreme Court on Tuesday ordered Kolkata Police Commissioner Rajeev Kumar to appear before the CBI in the ongoing Saradha Chit Fund scam probe. The top court also said that the Kolkata Police chief can’t be arrested. Kumar has been ordered to appear before the probe agency in Shillong as it is the neutral place. Appearing on behalf of the West Bengal government, Abhishek Manu Singhvi said that, “It's an attempt to humiliate and score point. What’s the great urgency? For 5 years there was no FIR. There is not a single FIR against Rajeev Kumar under 201 (Destruction of evidence) of the IPC.” 

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The top court also issued notice the state and police in contempt of court application. The next hearing in the case is on February 20. Reacting on the top court’s order, Mamata Banerjee said that, “I am not pleading for Rajeev Kumar alone, I am pleading for millions of people.” On contrary to usual inference, Banerjee termed the order as her victory. “It's not our victory, it's a victory of the constitution. It's a victory of the common man of the country,” the chief minister said.

 

It's not our victory, it's a victory of the constitution. It's a victory of the common man of the country, says @MamataOfficial

Follow LIVE updates: https://t.co/7lS7T29rzz pic.twitter.com/wslU19OxHp

— News Nation (@NewsNationTV) February 5, 2019

Calling it a victory of India, Banerjee however didn’t say whether she would now call off her dharna. The CBI affidavit, a copy of which is accessed by News Nation, said that the Kolkata Police Commissioner didn’t join its probe in the Saradha scam. The CBI stated that it had issued three notices to Rajeev Kumar on October 18, 2017, October 23, 2017 and August 18, 2018. However, despite these notices, Kumar didn’t join the investigation.

In one of the sensational allegations against Kumar, the CBI said that. “crucial evidence such as laptops, mobile phones etc were handed over to the main accused in Saradha scam case by the investigating officer of WB police working under direct supervision of Police Commissioner Rajeev Kumar.”   

“The entire administration of West Bengal government has exhibited non-cooperation and is preventing the CBI from conducting free, fair and impartial investigation,” the CBI affidavit said. Senior Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge was among the first leaders to respond on the Supreme Court order. “The government is settling scores with Opposition after interfering in autonomous bodies. We are fighting against those elements. It is not about an individual, an officer or a party, we are fighting against govt's attempt to discredit autonomous bodies,” Kharge said.