Ex-Kolkata top cop Rajeev Kumar dodges CBI, seeks more time

Former Kolkata Police Commissioner Rajeev Kumar on Monday skipped the CBI summon in connection with the Saradha cheat fund scam, and instead sought seven days time to appear before the investigating agency, a CBI official said.

Kumar, the Additional Director General (ADG) of Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the state police, was summoned to the city's CBI headquarters in CGO Complex at 10.30 a.m. for questioning. But he sent a letter seeking a week's time, stating that he was on leave. Two CID officials went to the CBI office in Salt Lake and delivered the letter.

"He was summoned by the CBI for questioning today, but he did not appear and instead sent a letter stating he was on leave. The agency will decide about the future course of action in the case," a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) official said.

The IPS officer, accused of tampering evidence related to the multi-crore rupees saradha Chit Fund scam, was interrogated by the central agency for five consecutive days in Shillong back in February.

On Sunday evening, the West Bengal government reinstated Kumar as CID Additional Director General, a post from which he was shunted out by the Election Commission and sent on central deputation on May 15.

The state government in a notification said that Kumar was being reinstated as the model code of conduct had expired.

Meanwhile, the CBI on Sunday issued a look out notice against Kumar and directed all the airports and immigration authorities to prevent him from leaving the country and intimate the agency about any such move.

The CBI also served notices on the former top cop at his residence and his office summoning him to be present at its Salt Lake office at 10.30 a.m. on Monday.

The Supreme Court had on May 17 withdrawn the protection from arrest granted to Kumar by its February 5 order. It, however, had given him seven days time to approach a competent court for relief.

Last Monday, Kumar had moved the apex court seeking extension of the protection from arrest in view of the lawyers' strike in Kolkata, but the court had rejected it.

The CBI is seeking custodial interrogation of Kumar as he was heading the Special Investigation Team (SIT) of West Bengal police that probed the Saradha scam before the CBI took over.

( With inputs from IANS )