Saradha Chit Fund Case : SC Issues Notice On CBI's Plea Against Pre-Arrest Bail Granted To Rajeev Kumar IPS

The Supreme Court on Friday issued notice to Rajeev Kumar IPS on a petition filed by Central Bureau of Investigation against the anticipatory bail granted to him by the Calcutta High Court on October 1.

In the plea before the apex court, the CBI urged that custodial interrogation was needed to probe whether Rajeev Kumar sabotaged the investigation in the Saradha Chit fund scam. The CBI alleged that the whereabouts of Kumar had been untraceable for some time and the he had failed to respond to summons..

CJI Bobde, heading the SC bench, remarked that notice was being issued as there was "something about this person absconding".

"You have to convince use that his arrest is necessary as he is a high ranking officer", observed the CJI.

The 1989-batch IPS officer is accused of destroying evidence related to the Saradha chit fund (Ponzi) scam when he headed the special investigation team of the West Bengal Police to probe the matter before it was transferred to CBI.

The SIT was formed by Mamata Banerjee government in 2013 and in 2014. Later, the apex court had transferred the case to the CBI.

Last February, a stand-off had taken place between the Kolkata police and the CBI after the latter attempted to arrest Rajeev Kumar from his official residence in Kolkata in connection with the case.

This led to a midnight dharna being staged by the WB Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to protest the CBI action against Kumar.

Later, the Supreme Court intervened on an urgent petition moved by CBI, and asked him to appear for interrogation before CBI at a neutral place, Shillong and granted interim protection from arrest.

On May 17, the SC withdrew the interim protection and asked him to seek remedies for bail under CrPC.

Later, a vacation bench of the Calcutta High Court granted him a month's protection from arrest on May 30.

On September 21, a pre-arrest bail plea of the IPS officer was rejected by the Alipore District and Sessions Court. But the former Kolkata City Police Commissioner got relief from a bench of justices S Munshi and S Dasgupta of Calcutta High Court.

Observing that Kumar had cooperated with the central probe agency, which is investigating the case, the bench said it was not an appropriate case for custodial interrogation of the petitioner.

It directed Kumar, who is currently the Additional Director General of the West Bengal Criminal Investigation Department (CID), to cooperate with the investigating officers.