CBI sends 'documents' to ADG CID Rajeev Kumar's office

A day after ADG CID Rajeev Kumar failed to appear for questioning in connection with the Saradha chit fund scam, the CBI Tuesday sent some "documents" to his office, sources said.

CBI officials submitted the documents at Kumar's Bhawani Bhawan office in the southern part of Kolkata, they said without elaborating.

"This is not a summon but some necessary documents in connection with an investigation," a source said, dismissing reports that fresh summons were issued to the officer.

Kumar, a former Kolkata police commissioner, had skipped a CBI summons on Monday for questioning in connection with the scam.

He is now serving as additional director general of police in the CID.

The CBI on Tuesday evening also sent a notice to IPS officer Arnab Ghosh.

Ghosh, as then deputy commissioner (detective department) in the Bidhannagar police, was a member of the team that investigated the Saradha scam under the leadership of Kumar.

Also, CBI officials interrogated Kolkata Police officer Prabhakar Nath, who was the first officer to investigate the case.

Nath on Tuesday appeared for questioning at the CBI office in the CGO Complex in Salt Lake where he was quizzed for almost an hour, sources said.

In the morning, CBI officials had visited the residence of lawyer Y J Dastoor apparently for legal consultations in the matter.

On Saturday, the CBI had issued a lookout notice against Kumar to prevent him from leaving the country.

The agency wanted custodial interrogation of Kumar in connection with the scam as he was heading the police's special investigation team to probe the case before the CBI took over.

Last month, the CBI had told the Supreme Court that Kumar's custodial interrogation was necessary as he was not cooperating in the probe and was "evasive" and "arrogant" in answering the queries put to him.

On May 17, the apex court withdrew protection from arrest given to Kumar and asked the CBI to proceed as per law. It gave a week's time to Kumar to approach the competent court for anticipatory bail.

Kumar again approached the top court last Monday, seeking extension of the protection and said the courts in West Bengal were not functioning due to a lawyers' strike. His petition was rejected, following which he moved an anticipatory bail plea in the Barasat court.

As part of the Rs 2,500-crore scam, the Saradha group of companies duped lakhs of customers, promising higher rates of returns on their investment, the CBI had said.