SC Directs Kolkata CP Rajeev Kumar To Appear Before CBI Probing Sharada Chit Fund Scam

SUPREME  Court  of India has directed Kolkata Police Commissioner Rajeev Kumar to make himself available before the CBI and “faithfully” cooperate with the agency in investigating the multi crore  Sharada Chit fund  scam  which has  cheated  lakhs of gullible people assuring  attractive interest. The IPS officer  headed the  SIT- Special  Investigative  Team –formed by  the Mamata  Banerjee  government to probe the cases related to the unauthorised  chit fund before the SC  mandated the CBI  to take up investigation in 2014.The SC  also  directed  Kumar to appear before the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for investigation at Shillong in Meghalaya. It barred the CBI from taking coercive steps, including the arrest of the Kolkata Police chief till February 20 when the SC will resume hearing the case. The Supreme Court on Tuesday asked West Bengal Chief Secretary, DGP and Kolkata Police Commissioner to respond to the CBI’s contempt plea in the chit fund scam case by February on 18 for allegedly detaining the probe agency’s team illegally on Sunday. The team  had tried to   meet Rajeev Kumar  for  questioning  at his Kolkata  house  as he had allegedly not responded  three  summons  issued by CBI .CBI also  claimed that  WB  authorities  were informed  about its intent and had sought  cooperation. A three-judge Bench headed by CJI Ranjan Gogoi, however, said no coercive steps, including arrest would be taken against Kumar.CBI has alleged  that the Officer  provided the agency with doctored materials. The Bench also comprising justices Deepak Gupta and Sanjeev Khanna said on consideration of replies of the chief secretary, the DGP and the Kolkata police commissioner, the court might prefer the personal appearance of these three authorities on February 20.The bench said the apex court’s secretary general will inform them on February 19 whether they are required to be present before the apex court on February 20.