Saradha scam: SC asks CBI to produce evidence against former Kolkata police chief Rajeev Kumar
The Supreme Court was hearing the agency’s plea seeking custodial interrogation of Kumar.
![Saradha scam: SC asks CBI to produce evidence against former Kolkata police chief Rajeev Kumar](https://sc0.blr1.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/article/101490-wqdjnvybxw-1556609203.jpg)
The Supreme Court on Tuesday directed the Central Bureau of Investigation to submit evidence to establish its claim that former Kolkata Police Commissioner Rajeev Kumar was involved in the Saradha chit fund scam, Live Law reported.
The court was hearing the CBI’s plea seeking custodial interrogation of Kumar on the grounds that he had given evasive replies during questioning, according to PTI.
A bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi asked Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, who represented the agency, to convince the court that its request seeking Kumar’s custodial interrogation was bonafide and in the interest of justice. “Satisfy us that Rajeev Kumar has a role in suppression or disappearance of evidence,” the bench said, according to Bar and Bench.
Mehta told the Supreme Court bench that he will submit evidence against Kumar by Wednesday, following which the bench listed the matter for further hearing tomorrow.
The CBI had interrogated Kumar in February in Meghalaya’s capital Shillong about his alleged role in tampering crucial evidence in the chit fund case. Kumar was heading the Special Investigation Team set up by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to probe the scam before the case was handed over to the CBI by the top court.
The CBI had moved the Supreme Court after the Kolkata Police prevented its officials from approaching Kumar at his official residence in Kolkata on February 3. On the same night, Banerjee began the “Save the Constitution” protest at Esplanade, accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP President Amit Shah of plotting a “coup”. Kumar had also joined the dharna, along with a few other police officers.
The Saradha company ran several ponzi schemes in West Bengal, allegedly defrauding lakhs of people. Thousands of crores of rupees were lost after the scheme collapsed in 2013.
Saradha chit fund scam: Supreme Court asks CBI to show material and convince the court on its plea for custodial interrogation of former Kolkata Police Commissioner Rajeev Kumar. Court to hear the plea tomorrow. pic.twitter.com/ZnAaPb3O9l
— ANI (@ANI) April 30, 2019
Mamata Banerjee v. CBI: Satisfy us that Rajeev Kumar has a role in suppression/ disappearance of evidence, Supreme Court to CBI.
— Bar & Bench (@barandbench) April 30, 2019
Give us one more day. Will place materials in record tomorrow, SG Tushar Mehta.
Matter to be heard tmrw. @MamataOfficial @AITCofficial #CBI