SC asks CBI to show material evidence to arrest ex-Kolkata Commissioner Rajeev Kumar

The Supreme Court on Tuesday asked the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to show material evidence and convince the court on its plea for custodial interrogation of former Kolkata Police Commissioner Rajeev Kumar.

A bench of Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Deepak Gupta posted the hearing of the petition to May 1.

The CBI had filed a plea in the apex court on April 6, seeking permission to arrest Kumar in connection with the Saradha chit fund scam case.

The agency also sought recall of the Supreme Court's order of February 5 granting protection from arrest to the ex-Kolkata police chief.

The petition said that custodial interrogation of Kumar is required to unravel the conspiracy and nexus between directors of Saradha Group and the politicians connected to the case.

CBI contended that Kumar, who appeared before the agency for questioning in Shillong as per the Supreme Court's order, evaded all pertinent questions.

It also said that the IPS officer did not assist the agency in making available crucial evidence in the case and has not disclosed any vital information he was privy to.

An unprecedented chain of events took place 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 house. The CBI officers were taken to a police station and released later.