Rajnath rings Bengal Governor over police-CBI face-off

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and West Bengal Governor Keshari Nath Tripathi have discussed the face-off between Kolkata Police and the CBI.

According to official sources, Singh called up Tripathi late on Sunday to be apprised of the facts of "the unfortunate and unprecedented situation" of Central Bureau of Investigation officers "being manhandled, detained, intimidated and obstructed".

Tripathi told Singh that he had summoned Chief Secretary and the Director General of Police seeking "immediate action to resolve the situation", the sources said.

The developments are being monitored by the Ministry of Home Affairs.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee began a sit-in on Sunday accusing the Centre of attempting to destabilize the state after the CBI tried to quiz Kolkata Police chief Rajeev Kumar in connection with a ponzi scheme scam.

The residence of the CBI's Joint Director was surrounded by Kolkata Police, which led the Home Ministry to deploy paramilitary forces at the office and residential premises of the agency, the sources added.

The sources said the Ministry was going to seek a report on the role of IPS officers on the allegations of obstructing CBI investigation and violation of service rules in connection with the face-off.

--IANS

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