CBI official was called for questioning by Kolkata Police after notices to SIT members

The CBI had to bear the brunt of Kolkata Police after it sought to question some policemen in connection with ponzi scam cases, and one of its officers was even issued notices by the police implicating him in alleged vandalism of a hotel owned by Rose Valley Group, agency officials claimed Monday.

The Sunday showdown, where the CBI and Kolkata Police came face-to-face, was a result of tension brewing between the two forces for over two years, they said.

The CBI, probing the ponzi scam cases, wanted to question Rajeev Kumar, head of a special investigation team constituted by the state government, and its members to probe Saradha scam in which thousands of investors were cheated of over Rs 2,500 crore, they said.

The investigation by the agency was met with an alleged retaliatory action from the Kolkata Police, which issued notices to Bratin Ghoshal, a CBI inspector probing one of the ponzi scam cases related to Rose Valley Group.

The Kolkata Police called Ghoshal in connection with alleged vandalism of Park Prime Hotel in the city, reportedly owned by Rose Valley Group, in 2017 soon after the CBI started sending notices to SIT members for questioning in September, 2017, they said.

He was asked to report at Ballygunge police station under Section 160 CrPC which allows any investigation officer to record statement and evidence in a case.

The SIT was headed by then Bidhan Nagar Commissioner Rajeev Kumar, a 1989-batch IPS officer, who is now Commissioner, Kolkata Police, they said.

The SIT had arrested Sudipta Sen and Debjani Mukherjee, promoters of Saradha Group and prime accused in the case, in Jammu and Kashmir on March 20, 2013.

"State police was first to enter the premises of Saradha Group post collapse and there are allegations that important documents which could have provided important leads were removed to cause disappearance of evidence," a senior CBI official said on the condition of anonymity.

The agency, which wanted to probe SIT members, was not getting positive response from the police as many officials, including Kumar, gave excuses to evade questioning.