Saradha scam: CBI questions IPS officer for seven hours on second day

IPS officer Arnab Ghosh was grilled for seven hours by the CBI on Thursday as he appeared before the agency for the second consecutive day in connection with the multi-crore Saradha scam.

Ghosh, one of the members of the special investigation team (SIT) that initially probed the scam, was questioned by the Central Bureau of Investigation over alleged suppression of evidence, sources in the agency said.

Police officials also submitted two trunks containing scam-related documents that had long been sought by the central investigating agency.

The CBI, which took over the probe in the case following a Supreme Court order in 2014, had also summoned former Kolkata police commissioner Rajeev Kumar, who headed the SIT, to appear before it in connection with the scam.

Kumar, who is presently the West Bengal CID additional director, is yet to respond to the CBI summons.

The Calcutta High Court Thursday granted him protection from arrest and any coercive action till July 10 in the Saradha chit fund scam case.

The court directed him to deposit his passport and asked him to cooperate with the CBI in investigation into the case.

As part of the Rs 2,500 crore scam, the Saradha group of companies had allegedly duped lakhs of people, promising them higher rates of returns on their investment.