Top court not to monitor CBI’S Saradha probe

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court Monday refused to monitor the ongoing Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the Saradha chit fund scam in West Bengal.

A two-judge bench comprising Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justice Sanjiv Khanna did not allow the application filed by some investors that despite the apex court’s 2013 order directing the agency to probe the chit fund scam, the investigation has not attained finality.

“We are not inclined to set up a monitoring committee for the chit f und s cam probe,” t he bench said.

The apex court in 2013 had transferred the probe into the scam to the CBI.

The top court had on February 5 directed Kolkata Police Commissioner Rajeev Kumar to appear before the agency and “faithfully” cooperate into the investigation of cases arising out of the chit fund scam, while it making it clear that he will not be arrested.

The CBI has alleged that Kumar, who was leading the SIT in the Saradha chit fund scam, destroyed and tampered with material evidence in the f orm of c al l detai l r e c ords (CDRS) of the prime and potential accused.

The apex court had on February 4 taken strong note of allegations of tampering with evidence in the Saradha scam, saying, “If the police commissioner i s e ven r e motely t r yi ng t o destroy evidence, we will come down so heavily on him that he will regret.”

The court had also directed the West Bengal chief secretary, the director general of police (DGP) and the Kolkata police commissioner to file replies to the statements made in the contempt petition filed against them by the CBI on or before February 18.

On February 3, the CBI officials had gone to Kumar’s residence in connection with the probe. The CBI said Kumar is prima facie guilty of having committed criminal offences and has not coordinated in spite of the summons being issued.