Chit fund case: SC dismayed over feud between CBI, WB Police

The Supreme Court Friday expressed "disappointment and dismay" over the feud between CBI and West Bengal Police during probe into the Saradha chit fund scam case and said though the situation was "grim", there was no administrative mechanism to avoid or resolve such conflicts.

While withdrawing the protection from arrest granted earlier by it to former Kolkata Police Commissioner Rajeev Kumar in the case, the apex court said that despite orders and words of advice, "antagonism and acrimony" has escalated between the two forces of the country.

A bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi said that due to the "clash" between the Central Bureau of Investigation and West Bengal Police, lakhs of small town and rural investors who have been deprived of their savings in the case are "at the receiving end".

"They (CBI and West Bengal Police) have forgotten that the primary purpose and role of the police is to investigate crime, collect evidence and prosecute the offenders. Situation is grim as both sides have hardened their stand and there is no administrative mechanism in place to avoid and resolve such conflicts between the two wings of the police force in the country," said the bench, also comprising Justices Deepak Gupta and Sanjiv Khanna.

The bench noted that by slew of orders passed in the case, including the one on February 5 this year, granting protection from arrest to Kumar, the apex court had sought to "allay confrontation and clash" between the CBI and the Police Force in the State of West Bengal (WBSPF).

"With regret, we acknowledge and accept that despite orders and words of advice, antagonism and acrimony has escalated and not ebbed as is evident from the pleading and arguments addressed before us," the bench said.

"To avoid prolixity and as limited controversy arises for consideration, we are not referring the earlier orders for the purpose of the present judgment, albeit express our disappointment and dismay seeing the CBI and the WBSPF pitted and casting aspersions against each other and being embroiled in this feud," the court said.

Referring to the fued between the two forces, the bench said, "At the receiving end are silently waiting lakhs of small town and rural investors who have been deprived and looted of their savings."
It said CBI has alleged non-cooperation and charged the West Bengal Police with "obfuscating the investigation by causing impediments and roadblocks with a view to protect big names and members/leaders of the ruling party in the state of West Bengal."