Saradha scam: Ex-Kolkata police chief fails to appear before CBI for questioning, seeks time

Former Kolkata police chief Rajeev Kumar Monday failed to appear before the CBI, which had summoned him for questioning in connection with the Saradha chit fund scam, and sought a week's time citing personal reasons.

A CID official visited the CBI office in Salt Lake and submitted a letter by Kumar in which he said he is on a three-day leave and is therefore unable to attend the summon, officials said.

Kumar sought seven days time, citing personal reasons, to appear before CBI officers in connection with the case.

"We waited for Mr Kumar but he did not turn up. We have received a letter from the West Bengal CID regarding his absence," an official said.

CBI sources said officials were at the Barasat court to pre-empt any attempt by Kumar to prevent the agency from interrogating him.

Several calls to Kumar went unanswered.

Kumar was reinstated as the additional director general of CID by the West Bengal government on Sunday night, soon after the model code of conduct was lifted.

The CBI had on Sunday summoned the IPS officer after a team of the investigating agency failed to meet him at his residence in connection with the Saradha probe.

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

The agency wants 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 during questioning.

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 saying the courts in West Bengal were not functioning due to a lawyers' strike. His petition was rejected, following which 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.