Saradha scam: CBI moves SC against former Kolkata Police Commissioner Rajeev Kumar

Intensifying its investigation into the Saradha chit fund scam, the CBI moved the Supreme Court on Saturday, seeking custodial re-interrogation of former West Bengal Police Commissioner Rajeev Kumar. The CBI has alleged that Rajeev Kumar has not been cooperating with the investigation and remains evasive in his answers to the CBI. Additionally, CBI states that custodial interrogation of Rajeev Kumar is necessary in the case to unearth the larger nexus and the depth of the Saradha chit scam.

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CBI moves SC against Bengal ex- top cop 

The CBI has asked for the cancellation of Kumar's anticipatory bail so that his custodial interrogation can be conducted. The CBI has sought an early hearing of the matter - as it has been pending in the apex court for the past year. The SC had sought Kumar's response on November 29, 2019 - on CBI's appeal challenging the anticipatory bail granted to him by Calcutta High Court on October 1, 2019. The HC maintained that it was not an appropriate case for custodial interrogation.

Kumar - the then-Kolkata Police Commissioner was heading the SIT formed by WB Government to probe the Saradha Chit fund case previously. When the case was handed over to the CBI, the agency stated that Kumar was being allegedly evasive about missing pieces of evidence in relation to the probe. Following this charge, in February 2019, a team of CBI officials arrived at Rajeev Kumar's residence to arrest him. While attempting to arrest the former top cop, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee staged a dharna opposing the arrest of the Police Commissioner by the CBI, citing a violation of the constitution. Kumar has since then been summoned several times by the CBI - but has evaded appearing before it.

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What is the Saradha Chit Fund case?

The multi-crore ponzi scam which broke out in April 2013, was run by the Saradha Group, a consortium of over 200 private companies that was believed to be running collective investment schemes popularly but incorrectly referred to as chit funds. The group collected around ₹200 to 300 billion from over 1.7 million depositors before its collapse.  In the aftermath of the scandal, the State Government of West Bengal instituted an inquiry commission to investigate the collapse. In May 2014, the Supreme Court transferred all investigations into the Saradha scam and other Ponzi schemes to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to avoid political interference into the case.

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