Saradha chit fund scam: Rajeev Kumar's phone off, not responding to e-mails, says CBI

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Saturday informed a local court here that IPS officer Rajeev Kumar's phone is switched off and he is not responding to his e-mails.

The Calcutta High Court had last week withdrawn protection from the arrest granted to Kumar in Saradha chit fund scam case. Following this, the agency had summoned him for questioning several times but he failed to appear before it.

Additional District Judge (ADJ) Sujoy Sengupta of the Alipore Judges Court was hearing the anticipatory bail petition moved by Kumar, who is presently posted as Additional Director of the Crime Investigation Department (CID).

During the course of proceedings, the CBI contended that Kumar violated the order of the Calcutta High Court as he was directed to stay at home, but now his whereabouts are not known.

The Director-General of Police, too, asserted the same and added that he did not cooperate with the CBI and appeared before it only when he was given protection from the arrest.

Kumar was a part of the SIT constituted by the state government to probe Saradha scam before the Supreme Court transferred it to the CBI. He is accused of tampering with evidence in the case.

The Saradha Group of compes had allegedly duped scores of people to the tune of Rs 2,500 crore promising higher rates of return on their investments.

( With inputs from ANI )