Journalism of Courage
CBI sleuths on Thursday carried out extensive search operations across the city for former top cop Rajeev Kumar in connection with Saradha Ponzi scheme case. The agency has also approached Alipore Court for a non-bailable arrest warrant against Kumar.
As per sources, various teams including officials from Delhi have been carrying out search operations throughout the city and adjoining areas since afternoon. The officials visited Kumar’s Park Street residence, IPS mess and hotels to locate him. So far, he remains untraceable, said CBI.
CBI has already served three summons to Kumar after the Kolkata High Court withdrew the protection given to him from arrest on Friday last week.
“The searches are still continuing,” said CBI officials.
Several officers from the agency’s headquarter flew to Kolkata on Wednesday to help CBI trace him. While the probe agency is taking all efforts to trace and arrest Kumar, it is waiting for the court’s order issuing non-bailable warrant against him. The Alipore court is yet to pass an order in connection with the submission by CBI.
However, sources in CBI claimed that despite no order from the court, they have all the power to arrest Kumar if he is located since he is not cooperating.
“The order is pending. We have mentioned all legal and factual information before the court,” said CBI counsel Kali Charan Mishra.
On the contrary, Kumar’s close aide claimed, ” He is not at all absconding, CBI has been well informed by Kumar that he is on leave till September 25th”.
According to the CBI, Kumar was involved in tampering of evidence and protecting influential people from an investigation in the Saradha and Rose Valley Chit fund scams. The CBI claimed that as head of the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the chit fund scam, the ex-Kolkata police chief was responsible for the destruction of evidence to protect the accused.
The CBI had told the Supreme Court that it wanted custodial interrogation of Kumar. The SIT was formed by Mamata Banerjee government in 2013 and in 2014. The apex court had later transferred the case to CBI.
