Chit-Fund Scams: CBI Summons Kolkata Police Commissioner Rajeev Kumar For Questioning on February 9

The Supreme Court had directed Kumar to cooperate in the investigation.

New Delhi: Kolkata Police Commissioner Rajeev Kumar has been summoned by CBI for questioning on February 9, news agency ANI reported on Thursday. The questioning is in a connection with the chit fund scams. A senior CBI official talking to news agency IANS said that Kumar has been asked to depose before it on February 7 in Shillong. The move comes a day after the newly-appointed CBI director Rishi Kumar Shukla posted 10 of its officials temporarily in Kolkata.

The Supreme Court had directed Kumar to appear before the CBI for investigation and “faithfully” cooperate with the agency in the investigation of cases arising out of the scam probe.

The CBI had filed a contempt plea in the Supreme Court against West Bengal’s chief secretary, Director General of Police and Kolkata Police Commissioner for wilful and deliberate violation of apex court’s orders.

Kolkata Police Commissioner Rajeev Kumar has been summoned by CBI for questioning on 9 February. pic.twitter.com/qKhG0ChJre

— ANI (@ANI) February 7, 2019

Earlier in the day, the Ministry of Home Affairs had asked the West Bengal government to initiate disciplinary proceedings against five top state police officials for taking part in Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s dharna in Kolkata earlier this week. (ALSO READ: Kolkata Crisis: Dharmendra Pradhan Hits Back at Mamata Banerjee For Opposing CBI Inquiry in Chit Fund Scams)

According to news agency ANI, the Centre is considering stripping them of their medals and may also bar them from central deputation as per All India Services (Conduct) Rules. (ALSO READ: Why is Mamata Banerjee Staging Dharna, Who Does She Want to Shield, Asks BJP)

“Centre has taken a dim view of serving officers of uniformed forces taking part in the dharna. MHA has asked the WB government to take action against the officers who had participated in dharna in Kolkata on 4th February as per All India Services (Conduct) Rules,” ANI quoted MHA sources as saying.

“In addition, a number of measures are also being initiated against defaulting officers such as withdrawing medals. Centre may also remove names of delinquent officers from the empanelled list and bar them for a certain period from serving in the central government,” they had added.

A high voltage drama was witnessed in Kolkata after a group of CBI officials had reached state police commissioner Rajeev Kumar’s residence to question him in the chit fund scams. Later, furious Mamata Banerjee reached to Kumar’s residence and began a sit-in protest against PM Modi and Amit Shah. She accused BJP of torturing Kolkata.

The CBI has alleged that he had ignored multiple summons over the past two years and that the agency wanted to ask him about missing evidence.