CBI to quiz Kolkata top cop on Feb 9
10-member team constituted to help with probe
NEWDELHI: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) will question Kolkata police commissioner Rajeev Kumar on February 9, said officials with knowledge of the matter, even as the agency’s director dispatched a team of 10 officers to the West Bengal capital to help the local unit headed by joint director Pankaj Srivastava to probe chit fund scam cases in the state.
In an internal order approved by CBI director Rishi Kumar Shukla on February 6, the agency attached 10 officers, including one superintendent of police (SP), three additional SPs, two deputy SPs and three inspectors from different zones to the agency’s Kolkata Economic Offences Wing from February 8.
“The CBI has summoned Kumar on February 9 in Shillong,” said an official who asked not to be named.
The order issued by the personnel wing of CBI states that these officers will remain there till February 20.
All 10 officers have been put at the disposal of Srivasatva, who is leading the CBI probe into chit fund scams.
Srivasatava’s residence was surrounded by Kolkata police personnel when an agency team landed at the residence of city police commissioner Rajeev Kumar on February 3 to question him in Saradha chit fund case . Srivastava, his family and guests had to lock themselves inside the house for three hours till the CRPF sent its team to rescue them.
West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday called off her protest in Kolkata against the CBI’s attempt to question Kumar in connection with ponzi scheme cases, but warned of a larger stir in the national capital next week. Banerjee claimed moral victory and ended her dharna after the Supreme Court ruled that the Kolkata police chief must cooperate with the CBI but the agency can’t take coercive action against him for now.
The CBI team that went to question Kumar was detained by the Kolkata police personnel and taken to a local police station from where it was released only after three hours after the Union home ministry worked the phones.
As per the directions of the Supreme Court, now Kumar will be questioned by CBI in Shillong, the capital of Meghalaya.