CID summons Bharati Ghosh, former IPS officer close to Didi

Trouble continued for former IPS officer Bharati Ghosh, once a confidante of chief minister Mamata Banerjee, with the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) summoning her for questioning and raids continuing at properties owned by her.

On Monday, MAV Raju, Ghosh’s husband, moved Calcutta high court pleading for CBI investigation in the police raids.

The CID served summons to Ghosh on Monday morning, asking her to be present at its headquarters in Kolkata at the earliest. Rajmangal Singh, caretaker of the apartments allegedly owned by Ghosh in Madurdaha off Kolkata’s Eastern Metropolitan Bypass, was arrested on Monday. He was produced in Ghatal court in West Midnapore.

“Raids are being conducted following a court order based on a complaint filed by a jewellery merchant. Several crucial documents seized by sleuths had her signature,” said Nishad Parvez, deputy inspector general, CID.

He also said ₹60 lakh in cash, over 2kg of gold, and several crucial documents were seized.

The raids began on February 1. So far, they have been conducted at properties owned by Ghosh and her husband as well as a few of her relatives in West Midnapore and Kolkata. Searches were also conducted at the residences of a couple of police officers who were reportedly close to her.

So far, Ghosh has not spoken to the media except for sending a voice message on WhatsApp where she denied all the charges and alleged that she and her family members are being unnecessarily victimised.

In the message, she also threatened to take legal action. “After returning to Kolkata, I would take all legal steps available to a citizen,” she said.

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