Saradha chit fund scam: CBI begins quizzing Kolkata police chief Rajeev Kumar in Shillong

The CBI began questioning the Kolkata Police chief on Saturday at highly secured agency's office here in connection with chit fund scam cases, officials said.

Kolkata Police Commissioner Rajeev Kumar, his counsel Biswajit Deb and senior IPS officers Javed Shamim and Murlidhar Sharma arrived at the probe agency's office at 11 am, they said.

Kumar's counsel and the two IPS officers were asked to leave the CBI office within 30 minutes, they said.

The development comes after a showdown between the central agency and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on February 1 after a team of CBI officials, en route to take Kumar in custody, was apprehended by Kolkata police. Following the tussle with Kolkata police, and much political brouhaha, the CBI had approached the apex court with a contempt plea. In its judgement on Tuesday, the Supreme Court had asked Kolkata's Commissioner of Police to cooperate in the investigation and appear before the CBI at its Shillong offices.

Kumar is being interrogated at the highly secured CBI office at Oakland area in the Meghalaya capital where three senior CBI sleuths from Delhi reached on Friday.

The Supreme Court on Tuesday had directed the Kolkata Police chief to appear before the CBI and "faithfully" cooperate in the investigation of cases arising out of the Saradha chit fund scam, while making it clear that he will not be arrested.

The CBI had alleged in the Supreme Court that Kumar, who was leading the SIT probe into Saradha chit fund scam, tampered with the electronic evidence and handed over documents to the agency, some of which were "doctored".

The apex court directed him to appear before the investigating agency at a neutral place in Shillong "to avoid all unnecessary controversy".

CBI officials had gone to Kumar's residence in Kolkata to question him on January 3 but their attempt was thwarted by the police, following which Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee staged a three-day dharna.

Also read: Saradha chit fund scam: CBI summons Kolkata top cop Rajeev Kumar to Shillong

(With inputs from PTI)