Saradha scam: SC issues notice to IPS officer Rajeev Kumar on CBI's plea challenging his pre-arrest bail

The Supreme Court on Friday issued a notice to IPS officer Rajeev Kumar on an appeal filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) seeking cancellation of an anticipatory bail granted to him by the Calcutta High Court in connection with the multi-crore Saradha chit fund scam.

A three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice of India Sharad Arvind Bobde asked the probe agency to present before it facts and explain why custodial interrogation of Kumar is required.

A person can avail anticipatory bail from the court after the police register an FIR against them but before they are arrested by them in a case.

The Calcutta High Court had granted interim protection from arrest to Kumar last month. The CBI in its plea challenged the High Court's order and urged the apex court to allow the custodial interrogation of Kumar asserting that it was needed to probe whether he sabotaged the investigation in the case.

"He is a high-rank police officer. Why do you require his custodial interrogation? You need to explain before us the reasons for it," the bench asked the CBI.

The 1989-batch IPS officer is accused of destroying evidence related to the scam when he headed the special investigation team (SIT) of the West Bengal Police to probe the matter. He is currently the Additional Director General (ADG) of the West Bengal Criminal Investigation Department (CID).