CBI submits details of former Kolkata CP Rajeev Kumar compromising Sharada scam probe, 'very serious charges' observes Supreme Court

In a massive setback to Mamata Banerjee, the Central Bureau of Investigation has submitted sealed cover in the Supreme Court with details against former Kolkata Police Commissioner Rajeev Kumar about how he compromised on the investigation in the Sharada chit fund scam. 

Moreover, Supreme Court observed that the details submitted by the CBI reveal some “very serious charges” against Rajeev Kumar.

The court has also asked  CBI to file an application before the top court, to which Rajeev Kumar will be asked to respond.

Earlier, the Supreme Court asked the CBI Director to file an affidavit giving details about the agency's claim that former Kolkata Police Commissioner Rajeev Kumar had tampered with evidence in the Saradha chit fund scam.

Read: Former TMC Leader Kunal Ghosh And Kolkata Top Cop Rajeev Kumar Likely To Come Face-to-face On Day 2 Of Saradha Scam CBI Probe. LIVE Updates

A division bench of Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justice Sanjay Khanna directed the premier investigation agency to file the affidavit within two weeks on its claim that Kumar had tampered with the call data records of the chit fund scam accused before handing the case over to the Central Bureau of Investigation.

The court posted to March 26 the hearing on the CBI's plea seeking initiation of contempt proceedings against West Bengal Chief Secretary, DGP and Kumar for alleged non-cooperation in the probe into the case.

Read: Stung Ex-TMC Leader Kunal Ghosh And Kolkata CP Rajeev Kumar To Be Grilled In Joint-investigation By CBI

The Supreme Court had given a go-ahead to CBI to probe the Kolkata Commissioner of Police Rajeev Kumar in the Saradha chit-fund scam.

The CBI had approached the Apex Court after the Mamata Banerjee government had blocked the agency's officers on Sunday from investigating Kolkata CP Rajeev Kumar in the Saradha chit fund scam, and the chief minister of West Bengal sat on 'dharna' 

The three-judge bench comprising of CJI Ranjan Gogoi, Justice Deepak Gupta and Justice Sanjeev Khanna took up the matter on Tuesday and ruled that Rajeev Kumar should make himself available in front of the CBI for investigation, though, the investigative agency cannot arrest him at the present moment.

Further, the apex court ruled that the meeting between the Kolkata CP and CBI will take place in Shillong. 

It also issued notices to West Bengal Chief Secretary, the DGP, and Rajeev Kumar in relation to the contempt of court plea by the Attorney General KK Venugopal, who was representing the CBI.

What is Saradha scam?

The Saradha scam was a major financial fraud which lured lakhs of investors to deposit money in its schemes with glossy brochures and the promise of abnormally high returns. An official estimate says Saradha had mopped up about Rs. 1200 crore through its chit funds, but some calculations put that the figure is closer to Rs. 4000 crore. The company collapsed in April 2013.