Kolkata Top Cop Kumar to be Questioned by CBI in Shillong Today

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday, 5 February, called off her dharna in Kolkata, saying it was a victory for the Constitution and democracy.

Earlier on Tuesday, a three-judge Supreme Court bench, hearing the CBI’s plea against Kolkata Police Commissioner Rajeev Kumar, directed him to appear before the agency in Shillong. He reached Shillong on Friday and will be questioned by the CBI on Saturday, 9 February, reported PTI.

The apex court also said no coercive steps, including the arrest of the Kolkata Police chief, will take place during the course of investigation.

Kolkata Police Commissioner Rajeev Kumar reached Shillong, Meghalaya's capital city, on Friday, 8 February to face questioning by the CBI for his alleged role in destroying evidence in the Saradha chit fund scam, an official said.

Kumar will be interrogated by CBI sleuths on Saturday, 9 February at two locations -- in the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) office here and at an undisclosed location, he said, reported PTI.

He is accompanied by three IPS officers of the Kolkata Police.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday, 5 February, called off her dharna in Kolkata, saying it was a victory for the Constitution and democracy.

“The (Supreme) Court gave a positive judgment today. Next week, we will take up the issue in Delhi,” she said.

Sharing the stage with Chandrababu Naidu, Banerjee expressed her gratitude towards the Andhra Pradesh CM, adding that she consulted various political parties on the dharna.

Responding to the Home Ministry notice asking the Bengal government to initiate disciplinary proceedings against Kolkata Police chief Rajeev Kumar, Mamata said:

She asserted that police personnel are always with leaders to give them protection as per the law.

West Bengal Congress MP Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury on Tuesday said there was no democracy in the state, adding that it was with the help of the ruling (TMC) government that people were looted off in the chit fund scam.

“This police commissioner is Mamata’s servant, he will do whatever she says,” she asserted.

Telugu Desam Party (TDP) chief Chandrababu Naidu on Tuesday gave a strong message of Opposition unity, as he expressed solidarity with Mamata Banerjee’s ‘Save the Constitution’ dharna in Kolkata.

The Andhra Pradesh CM expressed confidence that the TMC is going to win all 42 Lok Sabha seats in West Bengal with a “thumping majority”. “In West Bengal, they (NDA) don’t have anything. They’re halting the development in West Bengal,” he said.

Andhra Pradesh CM and Telugu Desam Party (TDP) chief N Chandrababu Naidu has arrived in Kolkata to express solidarity with Mamata Banerjee, as she continues with her dharna.

The Home Ministry on Tuesday, 5 February, asked the West Bengal government to initiate disciplinary proceedings against Kolkata Police Commissioner Rajeev Kumar.

The MHA recommended proceedings against Kumar for ‘indisciplinary behaviour’ and violation of All India Service rules. The recommendation against the Kolkata top cop has come for sitting on dharna with political parties, something which is disallowed under All India Service Rules 1968, rule numbers 3, 5 and 7.

Union Minister Smriti Irani on Tuesday asserted that “there exists a state of lawlessness in West Bengal”, calling CM Mamata Banerjee an “anarchist” who “intervened in the process of collection of evidence by officers, and upon whose instructions officers were heckled, manhandled and detained, their families harassed, and their homes surrounded.”

Welcoming the apex court order on the CBI’s plea against Kolkata Police Commissioner Rajeev Kumar, Irani said she is “assured that apart from the BJP, the 20 lakh victims of the chit fund scam will join to express gratitude to the Supreme Court.”

Pointing out that Shillong was chosen as a “neutral” place for Rajeev Kumar to appear before the CBI, Irani said, “The SC’s (order) in itself is indicating that they do not expect fairness in West Bengal.”

The apex court order should be a matter of concern for Banerjee, the Textiles Minister said, adding, “With egg on her face, to celebrate it as a moral victory is a dichotomy that is only available in the realm of Mamata Banerjee’s politics.”

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said that he has not been in touch with the TMC, regarding their tussle with the CBI. He, however, said that the CBI must do a professional and non-political job.

Mamata Banerjee said "every Indian will be a prime minister" in 2019, in response to a reporter’s question on who will be the prime minister if the Opposition wins.

The West Bengal CM said the ongoing protest was not of the TMC alone, but the country as a whole, and accused the Narendra Modi-led NDA government of having “destroyed” democracy. She also accused the BJP government of dividing the state and the Centre.

She asserted that the current regime will not return to power after the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

Mamata Banerjee said she is yet to decide till when the dharna will continue.

She added that she will talk to her leaders before deciding on the dates.

Mamata Banerjee said she was “absolutely happy” with the Supreme Court verdict directing Kolkata Police Commissioner Rajeev Kumar to appear before the CBI in Shillong.

Mamata said she and her government “never said” they will not cooperate with the CBI. She said that this was a victory for the people of the country.

The SC directed Rajeev Kumar to appear before the CBI to fully cooperate in the investigation.

CJI Ranjan Gogoi said that the contempt petition will be dealt with later, reported ANI.

Rajeev Kumar’s lawyer Abhishek Singhvi has countered that he was not an accused in the Saradha scam, and that no FIR has been registered against him.

Attorney General KK Venugopal, appearing for the CBI, argued that there was “serious breakdown” of law and order in West Bengal.

“It’s very serious. Contempt proceedings should be initiated now,” said the CJI.

Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi said that to decide contempt, the court will have to issue notice and hear the other party, reported Bar and Bench.

Calcutta HC adjourns hearing in Kolkata Police chief Rajeev Kumar case till Thursday as the Supreme Court is seized of the matter.

Attorney General KK Venugopal commenced his submissions, citing 2014 judgment of Supreme Court to transfer probe to CBI.

He reportedly submitted that call data records which were given to the CBI were incomplete and that the records were doctored.

The CBI has filed an affidavit in the Supreme Court alleging there are several incriminating material/correspondence that was collected during the investigation by the agency, against the senior police officials as well as senior politicians, reported ANI.

The CBI affidavit reportedly says that investigation was being done by SIT and crucial evidence such as laptops, mobile phones etc were allegedly handed over to the main accused in Saradha scam case by the investigating officer of West Bengal police working under direct supervision of Police Commissioner Rajeev Kumar.

A three-judge bench of the Supreme Court, comprising Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi, Justices Deepak Gupta and Sanjiv Khanna have assembled. Hearing shortly.

Union Minister Arun Jaitley called West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s dharna “acrobatics”, and claimed that it showed the kind of governance India’s Opposition can provide.

Telangana CM and TRS chief K Chandrashekar Rao continued to maintain silence over Mamata Banerjee’s tussle with the BJP-led government in the Centre and the CBI.

Several Opposition leaders from across the country, including DMK’s Stalin, and TDP’s Chandrababu Naidu reached out to the WB chief minister to show their solidarity.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will continue her ‘Save the Constitution’ dharna till Friday, 8 February, as after that the Board examinations in the state are scheduled to begin following that, reported PTI.

Mukul Roy, a TMC leader for several years until he joined hands with the BJP – had been questioned as per investigations into the Saradha chit-fund scam. Responding to the situation in West Bengal, Roy reportedly urged Mamata to allow the CBI to conduct its investigations freely.

He also defended himself in connection with the scam, saying that the CBI- which had taken over investigations in 2014- had failed to find any dirt on him, The Indian Express reported.

Responding to the current situation in West Bengal, Bihar CM Nitish Kumar on Monday, 4 February, said that since the country was going through a “pre-election phase”, and that “such things” (clash between state government and centre) would happen until the schedule for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections is announced, The Times of India reported.

The West Bengal Congress has called for a protest rally on Wednesday, 6 February, to demand an immediate conclusion to the investigations concerning the Saradha, Rose Valley and other chit fund cases.

They have also called for the immediate arrest of the accused in the Narada case, ANI reported.