Rajeev Kumar skips summons, CBI searches different locations

CBI officials on Friday went to various locations to trace former Kolkata Police Commissioner Rajeev Kumar after he again failed to turn up at the agency's office here in the morning in connection with the probe into Saradha chit fund scam, sources in the agency said here.

Kumar was summoned by the CBI to appear before its officials in connection with the multi-crore ponzi scam as he is alleged to have suppressed crucial pieces of evidences required to prepare the final chargesheet by the probe agency.

Officials of CBI's Special Crime Branch branched out in teams and visited the official residence of Kumar, now additional director general of CID, on Park Street here, while another team went to a resort in South 24 Parganas to trace the senior IPS officer, the sources said.

On Thursday also, CBI sleuths had gone to IPS officers' mess and a five-star hotel to trace Kumar.

This is the third occasion since Saturday that Kumar defied CBI summons to appear before its investigating team at the CGO complex office in Salt Lake.

The Calcutta High Court on Friday last withdrew the protection granted to Kumar from CBI taking any coercive action against him.

CBI had also sought the help of the West Bengal government to know the whereabouts of Kumar.

In reply to a letter by the probe agency, state Director General of Police Virendra said Kumar was on leave from September 9 to 25, 2019.

Kumar was part of a special investigation team (SIT) set up by the state government to investigate the Saradha scam before the Supreme Court handed over the case to the CBI in 2014, along with other chit fund cases.

The Saradha group of companies allegedly duped lakhs of people to the tune of Rs 2500 crore, promising higher rates of return on their investments.