Saradha scam: Former Kolkata top cop Rajeev Kumar to file anticipatory bail plea on Wednesday

Former Kolkata police commissioner Rajeev Kumar has been summoned by the Central Bureau of Investigation in connection with the multi-crore Saradha chit fund scam but he has failed to appear before the CBI despite two summons.

The anticipatory bail petition of former Kolkata police commissioner Rajeev Kumar and CBI’s non bailable warrant petition against Kumar will be filed on Wednesday (September 18) at Alipur court. It is to be noted that both the pleas were rejected on Tuesday on the ground that  Barasat court - MP/MLA special court and district judge court did not have jurisdiction to accept such petitions.

Kumar has been summoned by the Central Bureau of Investigation in connection with the multi-crore Saradha chit fund scam but he has failed to appear before the CBI despite two summons. The CBI had served summons to the West Bengal government’s Chief Secretary and Home Secretary, and the state Director General of Police asking Kumar to appear before them. The DGP responded to the letter stating that the summon was sent to Kumar’s residence on 34 Park Street in Kolkata. Sources in the West Bengal Secretariat told Zee News that Kumar is on a personal leave for 15 days.  

The Saradha Chit Fund Scam, running into billions of rupees, grabbed headlines in 2014 after the Saradha group`s companies ended their businesses duping scores of people promising higher rates of returns on their investments.

Kumar, who is currently the West Bengal CID Additional Director General, was leading the Special Investigation Team set up by West Bengal Chief Minister to investigate the scam before the case was handed over to the CBI by Supreme Court in 2014. Earlier, the CBI had said that it needs to interrogate the former Kolkata police commissioner, who is accused of tampering with evidence.