CBI acting on behest of BJP leaders: Ex-Kolkata top cop to SC

CBI seems to be allegedly acting at the behest of two BJP leaders Mukul Roy and Kailash Vijayavargiya, said former Kolkata Police Commissioner Rajeev Kumar in his affidavit filed before the Supreme Court in connection with a plea filed by the probe agency seeking permission to arrest him.

"The sudden inexplicable turn by the CBI in pointing out problems with the investigation and targeting the alleged contemnor (Rajeev Kumar) seems to be borne out of a larger conspiracy between two senior leaders Mukul Roy and Kailash Vijayvargiya of the BJP the ruling party at the centre," Kumar stated in his affidavit.

This affidavit comes after a bench headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Ranjan Gogoi had asked Kumar to file his response over CBI's plea seeking custodial interrogation and permission to arrest him in connection with the Saradha Chit fund scam.

While knocking the doors of the apex court to seek permission to arrest him, the agency claimed that the former top cop has not been cooperating with it and very evasive while being interrogated at Shillong in connection with the Saradha chit fund scam case.

"There is a clear cut malafide intention of the CBI against him during the course of the Saradha chit fund scam case", Kumar stated in his affidavit.

"After the demonetization in November 2016, the West Bengal Police initiated a probe into some 'shell companies' that prima facie appeared to be actively involved in a scam, wherein these companies were receiving huge sums of deposits post-demonetization.

"Taking cognizance, an FIR was registered in this regard. During the investigation into it, the role of one company 'Agela Mercantiles Pvt. Ltd' (AMPL) came under the scanner in connection with various dubious transactions and also for collecting money deposits from the public in an unauthorised manner", Kumar stated in his affidavit.

During the investigation, the role of Mannem Sandhya and Mannem Aamani (i.e. the wife and daughter of M. Nageswara Rao, Ex-Director, CBI respectively) transpired.

Kumar further stated in his affidavit raised questions on the charges levied against him the case saying that the said charges did not come from any of investigation agencies or court but from a politician in a public gathering.

"There is no concealment of the facts, non-cooperation. There is no requirement of a custodial interrogation and the same is a pressure building tactic for ulterior motive and if the same is allowed, it shall not only cause disrepute to me and further demoralize the entire State Police, who have been continuously cooperating with the CBI", Kumar stated.

On April 6, the probe agency in its plea filed before the top court stated the custodial interrogation of Kumar is required to unravel conspiracy and nexus between directors of Saradha Group and the politicians related to the case.

CBI had also stated that Kumar who was in charge of the day-to-day functioning of the Special Investigation Team (SIT) in chit fund case, failed in collecting certain key electronic evidence relating to the case.