Chit Fund: WB Chief Secy, DGP, Kolkata Police chief refute CBI charge of obstruction in probe in SC

West Bengal government and its police refuted CBI allegations in the Supreme Court Monday that they obstructed investigation into the Saradha chit fund scam cases, with the state cops asserting the central agency forcefully tried to enter the Kolkata police commissioner's residence on February 3 without valid papers.

Chief secretary Malay Kumar De, DGP Virendera Kumar and Kolkata Police Commissioner Rajeev Kumar filed separate affidavits in the apex court on the contempt petition moved by the CBI in connection with the scam and tendered "unconditional and unambiguous apology" for alleged disobedience of the court.

The trio maintained however that the West Bengal government and the state police at no point of time obstructed investigation nor any official denied cooperation to CBI.

The officers opposed the contempt petition against in which CBI alleged that they were tampering with evidence and not complying with the apex court's various orders relating to the probe by asserting that there was a need for directions to the probe agency not to make any vague allegations without substantial and cogent evidence.

Referring to the February 3 incident, Kolkata police commissioner Rajeev Kumar said in his affidavit that CBI forcibly tried to enter his house without valid papers. The contention has been supported by the DGP in his affidavit.

They have also claimed that no police officials went on 'dharna manch' where West Bengal Chief Minister Mamta Banerjee sat to protest the CBI action.

The DGP and Kumar said no police officer, in uniform or otherwise at any given point in time, ever sat or joined the dharna along with Banerjee.

Kumar said it was "very intriguing" as to why a major decision by the CBI was taken to interrogate him on February 3, which was the last day in office of the then interim CBI director M Nageswara Rao.

"In this context, it is also pertinent to mention here that Sunday i.e. February 3, 2019, was the last day in office of the interim CBI Director, who was to be replaced by the present Director, CBI, the very next day i.e. on February 4, 2019," he said in his affidavit.

Kumar further said: "It seems very intriguing as to why such a major decision could not wait even for a single day for the new Director CBI to join, especially when the last notice was issued to the answering respondent, after a gap of more than a year, as noted hereinabove.

"The action taken by the CBI, was also de hors the orders passed by the Calcutta High Court keeping in abeyance the notices issued by the CBI under section 160, CrPC to the State Police Officials, in presence of the counsels representing the CBI."
"Materials have either been in the exclusive custody of the various Investigating Officers as part of the investigative units under their supervisory officers across the state and/or the appropriate courts in accordance with applicable law."