Saradha case: Rajeev Kumar moves Kolkata HC, seeks quashing of CBI notice

Former Kolkata Police Commissioner Rajeev Kumar on Thursday filed a plea in the Calcutta High Court seeking quashing of a CBI notice asking him to appear before the agency in connection with the Saradha chit fund scam case.

The plea of Kumar, accused of tampering with evidence in the case, will be heard by the court later today.

He was summoned by the CBI to appear before it at 10 am on Monday but did not turn up for the questioning. He wrote a letter to the agency saying that he was on leave.

Kumar's move comes a day after a CBI official said the agency is making a strong case against him to counter his plea for anticipatory bail.

"The CBI would continue to summon and question suspects in the case," a CBI official had told ANI.

A Look-Out Notice was issued against Kumar by the agency even as CBI officials claimed that they were unaware of his whereabouts. Airports and land ports were alerted and officials were asked not to allow him to leave the country.

Kumar had headed the West Bengal Police Special Investigation Team (SIT) that probed the case.

Earlier, the CBI, in its plea before the Supreme Court, had sought permission for custodial interrogation of Kumar for his alleged role in destroying evidence in the case. It had said that there was prima facie evidence against him of "trying to destroy or tamper with evidence and shield high and mighty".

The agency had claimed that Kumar did not disclose any crucial information he was privy to during his questioning earlier.

On May 24, the Supreme Court had refused to entertain Kumar's plea seeking an extension of the seven-day period granted to him to approach a competent court for protection from arrest in the case.

An unprecedented chain of events unfolded on February 3 when a CBI team was detained by Kolkata Police when it reached Kumar's residence to question him. It was followed by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's visit to the officer's home. The CBI officers were taken to a police station and later released.