Saradha Scam: Grilled for 40 Hrs in 5 Days, Rajeev Kumar Tells SC
The SC had directed the Kolkata police commissioner to appear before the CBI at a neutral place.
Rajeev Kumar, Kolkata’s former top cop, has been replaced by IPS Anuj Sharma as Police Commissioner in the latest order issued by additional secretary of West Bengal police on Tuesday, 19 February.
Kumar had told the Supreme Court on Monday, that he was grilled for 40 hours in five days by the CBI in connection with the Saradha chit-fund scam.
He also said CBI’s “major decision” to interrogate him on 3 February, the last day of then CBI director M Nageswar Rao, was “very intriguing”.
Kumar was released by the CBI in Shillong and was allowed to return to Kolkata, after three hours of questioning on Wednesday, 13 February.
This comes in the wake of the investigative agency’s dramatic altercation with Kolkata Police on Sunday, 3 February, that triggered a slugfest between the Centre and the West Bengal government.
Following the standoff, the Supreme Court on Tuesday, 5 February, directed Kumar to appear before the CBI at “a neutral place” in Shillong and “faithfully” cooperate in the investigation.
- Rajeev Kumar told SC, he was grilled for 40 hours in five days
- Rajeev Kumar was being questioned since Saturday about his alleged role in the Saradha scam
- Former Trinamool Congress MP Kunal Ghosh was also questioned by the CBI
- Mamata Banerjee sat on a three-day dharna, starting 3 February, to protest against the CBI’s move to question Kumar on the Saradha chit fund scam.
- She claimed ‘moral victory’ before calling off her protest on 5 February after Supreme Court said Kumar cannot be arrested
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Kumar Ready to Face Supreme Court from Friday: Kolkata Police
Senior police officials have claimed that Kumar is ready to face the probe heat from CBI from Friday, 8 February. In order to aid Kumar, police officials have sought help from state’s criminal investigation department and prepared a list of ‘80-100 likely questions’ that CBI can ask him, reported The Times of India.
CBI Finalising Dates For Interrogating Kolkata Police Chief
The CBI is finalising the dates for interrogating Kolkata Police Commissioner Rajeev Kumar in its Shillong office as per the Supreme Court's order, a senior officer of the investigating agency said on Wednesday, 6 February.
Sources told The Quint that the interrogation is likely to be held over the weekend.
The CBI has also constituted a 10-member team to expedite chit fund investigation in Bengal. The team is scheduled to reach Kolkata on Friday, 8 February, and has been asked to prepare for staying there till 20 February. Investigations are going to be led by the Joint Director for Eastern region, Pankaj Srivastava.
No Stay On Rajeev Kumar To Appear Before CBI: HC
The Calcutta High Court on Thursday, 7 February, fixed 13 February as the next date of hearing for Kolkata Police Commissioner Rajeev Kumar's plea. The court said that there was no stay order on the CBI questioning Kumar, as opposed to what was being contended by the state government.
The high court also said that the state had filed no separate written application to file this case on Monday, 3 February, when it wanted to immediately tag the case.
Centre to Strip Medals of 5 IPS Officers Who Took Part in Dharna
Trouble brews for five IPS officers in West Bengal, as the Centre has taken a dim view of serving officers of uniformed forces taking part in sitting protest or dharna.
With respect to the officers who had participated in the protest in Kolkata on 4 February, the Ministry of Home Affairs has asked the West Bengal government to take action as per The All India Services (Conduct) Rules, 1968.
CBI Summons Former TMC MP on 10 Feb
Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) summons former Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha MP, Kunal Ghosh, to appear in Shillong CBI office on 10 February.
Kolkata Police Chief Rajeev Kumar Summoned by CBI on 9 February
Kolkata Police Commissioner Rajeev Kumar has been summoned by the CBI for questioning in Shillong in connection with the Saradha case on Saturday, 9 February.
Kolkata Police Chief Rajeev Kumar Arrives in Shillong for Questioning by CBI
Kolkata Police Commissioner Rajeev Kumar arrived in Shillong on Friday, 8 February. He will be questioned by the CBI at the Meghalaya capital on Saturday in connection with the Saradha scam.
Will Confer Top State Honour on Officers if Centre Takes Away Medals: Mamata Banerjee
With the Centre considering taking punitive action against five senior West Bengal police officers for attending her recent sit-in, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said on Friday, 8 February, that she would bestow on them the highest state award if they were stripped of their medals.
The officers, including DGP Virendra Kumar, were present at Banerjee's dharna venue on 4 February in plain clothes.
"I will give these five senior officials the highest state honour 'Bangabibhusan', if the Centre takes back their medals. Also, I will send a strongly-worded letter, if they send me one," Banerjee said on the sidelines of Bengal Global Business Summit, strongly refuting the Centre's charge that the officials had participated in the dharna.
She has been insisting that the officers were present at the protest venue to oversee security.
(PTI)
Kolkata Police Raids Firms Related to Ex-Interim CBI Chief’s Wife
Kolkata Police on Friday, 8 February, conducted raids at firms related to former interim CBI director, Nageswara Rao – one location is in Kolkata and the other at his wife's company Angelina Mercantile Pvt Ltd at Salt Lake.
Ex-Interim CBI Chief Nageswara Rao Denies Links with Firm Raided by Kolkata Police
Former interim CBI chief M Nageswara Rao has issued a press statement, refuting any link with M/s Angela Mercantile Pvt Ltd, one of the firms which was raided by Kolkata Police on Friday, 8 February. Speaking to ANI, Rao also said, “All that is happening, appears to be propaganda.”
Kolkata Top Cop Rajeev Kumar to be Questioned by CBI in Shillong Today
Rajeev Kumar reached Shillong on Friday, 8 February to face questioning by the CBI for his alleged role in destroying evidence in the Saradha chit fund scam, an official told PTI.
Kumar will be interrogated by CBI sleuths at two locations - in the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) office in Shillong and at an undisclosed location, he said.
Kumar is accompanied by three IPS officers of the Kolkata Police.
“Kumar has been lodged in a top hotel in the city. The state police is giving security cover to him,” the senior Home Department official told PTI.
CBI Team from Delhi Arrives at Shillong HQ
Three senior CBI sleuths from Delhi arrived at its office in Shillong, one of the two locations where Rajeev Kumar will be questioned, reported ANI.
Rajeev Kumar at CBI Office in Shillong, Questioning Underway
Kolkata top cop Rajeev Kumar is currently facing the CBI at highly secured agency’s office in Shillong in connection with chit fund scam cases.
Kolkata Police Commissioner Rajeev Kumar, his counsel Biswajit Deb and senior IPS officers Javed Shamim and Murlidhar Sharma arrived at the probe agency's office at 11 am, they said.
Kumar’s counsel and the two IPS officers were asked to leave the CBI office within 30 minutes, they said.
Ex-TMC MP to be Questioned by CBI Tomorrow
Former Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Kunal Ghosh will be questioned by the CBI at its office in Shillong tomorrow.
Speaking to ANI, Ghosh said, “I have been asked by CBI to attend the Shillong office on 10 Feb at 10 am. So, I am here. I shall attend the CBI office tomorrow as directed by them.”
Rajeev Kumar to be Questioned Again by CBI Tomorrow
Kolkata Police Commissioner Rajeev Kumar to be questioned by the CBI in Shillong second day in a row.
Former Trinamool Congress MP Kunal Ghosh Reaches CBI Office In Shillong
“I have been asked by the CBI to attend this office, so I’m here. I have cooperated with the investigating agency”, said Ghosh who is to be questioned along with Kolkata Police Commissioner Rajeev Kumar by the CBI in the Sharada chitfund scam.
Rajeev Kumar Reaches CBI Office In Shillong For Day 2 Of Questioning
Kolkata Police Comissioner Rajeev Kumar reaches the CBI office in Shillong for day 2 of questioning after a marathon 7-hour session yesterday. Sources indicate that Kunal Ghosh and Rajeev Kumar may also be jointly questioned.
Rajeev Kumar's Questioning Underway
Questioning of Kolkata Police Commissioner Rajeev Kumar by Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is underway at the investigation agency’s office in Shillong, in connection with Saradha chit fund scam, reports news agency ANI
The questioning is not being videographed by CBI.
Day 2 of Kumar’s Questioning at CBI’s Shillong Office Ends After 12 Hours
The CBI questioned Kolkata Police Commissioner Rajeev Kumar and former TMC MP Kunal Ghosh by making them sit face to face at the probe agency's office here in connection with the Saradha chit fund and Rose Valley scams, officials told PTI on Sunday.
The marathon interrogation of Kumar on the second day, that began at 10.30 am has got over. The questioning by the CBI was being done as per the directions of the Supreme Court.
A two-member CBI team, who are the Investigating Officers in the Saradha and Rose Valley scams, arrived in the afternoon.
Kumar and Ghosh were grilled in the initial period by a 10-member team of the CBI, the officials told PTI.
There were reports quoting lawyer of Kumar that his questioning sessions are being video recorded by the CBI on his request.
Ghosh, who arrived here shortly after 10 am, sought blessings of goddess Saraswati at a pandal, barely 100 metres from the CBI office, before entering the highly secured office of the investigating agency at Oakland.
"Both were questioned and made to sit face to face in the later half of the day. Each of them were questioned separately in the initial period," an official privy to the investigation told PTI, requesting anonymity.
Rajeev Kumar, Kunal Ghosh Leave CBI Office in Shillong
Kolkata Police Commissioner Rajeev Kumar and former TMC MP Kunal Ghosh leave Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) office in Shillong.
Ghosh will reportedly appear for questioning again on Monday, 11 February.
Kunal Ghosh to Appear Again Before CBI Today
Former TMC MP Kunal Ghosh will be questioned again by the CBI at the Shillong office on Monday, 11 February, reported ANI. On Sunday, while leaving the CBI office after facing the agency’s interrogation, Ghosh said, “I have to appear again tomorrow.”
Ghosh is being questioned in the same case. He was arrested in 2013 and subsequently suspended by TMC. He has been out on bail since 2016.
Kunal Ghosh Arrrives at CBI Office for Second Day of Questioning
Former TMC MP Kunal Ghosh has arrived at the CBI office for his second day of interrogation in connection with the Saradha Chit fund case, reported ANI. He had been questioned earlier on Sunday by the agency.
SC Rejects Plea Seeking Monitoring of Probe in Saradha Scam
A two-judge bench of the Supreme Court comprising Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justice Sanjiv Khanna on Monday rejected a plea filed by the investors seeking monitoring by the apex court into the probe in the Saradha chit fund case, reported PTI.
“We are not inclined to set up a monitoring committee for the chit fund scam probe,” the bench said.
The apex court in 2013 had transferred the probe into the scam to the CBI.
Rajeev Kumar Reaches CBI Office for Day 3 of Questioning
Rajeev Kumar has arrived at the CBI office in Shillong for questioning in connection with Saradha chit fund scam. This is the third day of his questioning by the CBI, reported ANI.
Do Not Politicise CBI's Ponzi Scam Probe, Kunal Ghosh Urges Parties
Former Trinamool Congress MP Kunal Ghosh, on Monday urged political parties not to politicise the CBI probe into the ponzi scam.
In a Facebook post on Monday morning, Ghosh also said the CBI should have questioned Kolkata Police Commissioner Rajeev Kumar long ago, reported PTI.
“I request all political parties not to politicise the matter. The steps that are being taken now for the sake of investigation should have been taken long back - during the time of investigation by the SIT set up by the West Bengal government. Unfortunately, it did not happen. However, better late than never," he wrote.
As far as the investigation is concerned, Ghosh said, a lot of precious time has been lost as neither the CBI nor the Special Investigation Team (SIT) has not taken these steps earlier.
"Neither the CBI nor any other investigating agency is above criticism. But it will not be wise to bring up those issues and create hurdles in the path of investigation of such a huge scam. The CBI should be allowed to perform its duty," Ghosh said in the post.
Joint Questioning of Ghosh, Kumar Concludes for the Day
The day’s joint questioning of Kunal Ghosh and Rajeev Kumar at the CBI office in Shillong has concluded, reported ANI. They were being interrogated by the agency in connection with Saradha Chit fund case since the morning.
While Ghosh had arrived at the CBI office around 10 am, Kumar had reached the office an hour later. This was Kumar’s third day of questioning and Ghosh’s second day.
Rajeev Kumar Faces CBI Questioning for 4th Day
Kolkata Police Commissioner Rajeev Kumar is facing questioning in connection with the chit fund scam cases at the CBI office here on Tuesday for the fourth consecutive day.
Kumar, who in being examined since Saturday, arrived shortly before 10:30 am at the CBI office in Shillong.
He is being questioned in connection with his role in the alleged tampering of evidence in the Saradha scam, an official told PTI.
Kolkata Top Cop Rajeev Kumar Released by CBI, Allowed to Return to Kolkata
Kolkata Police Commissioner Rajeev Kumar has been released by the CBI in Shillong and allowed to return to Kolkata, after three hours of questioning on Wednesday, 13 February, in connection with chit-fund scam cases, reported ANI.
He was questioned by the CBI for the fifth consecutive day on Wednesday before being released, reported PTI. Kumar arrived shortly after 9.30 am at the CBI office and was accompanied by two senior IPS officers and his counsel Biswajit Deb,according to the report.
'Grilled for 40 Hours in Five Days', Rajeev Kumar Tells SC
Rajeev Kumar told the Supreme Court on Monday, 18 February, that he was grilled for 40 hours in five days by the CBI in connection with the Saradha chit-fund scam.
He also said CBI’s “major decision” to interrogate him on 3 February, the last day of then CBI director M Nageswar Rao, was “very intriguing”.
“It seems very intriguing as to why a major decision could not even wait even for a single day for the new director CBI to join, especially when the last notice was issued to the answering respondent, after a gap of more than a year, as noted hereinabove”, Kumar said in his affidavit.
According to Kumar, he reached Shillong on 8 February and joined the investigation on 9 February at 11 am, The Times of India reported.
Contempt Proceedings Against Rajeev Kumar on 20 Feb
The Supreme Court on Wednesday, 20 February, will take up the matter seeking initiation of contempt proceedings against Rajeev Kumar for alleged non-cooperation in connection with the Saradha chit fund scam, ANI reported.
WB Top Cop & Focus of Mamata vs CBI Row Rajeev Kumar Replaced
Rajeev Kumar, Kolkata’s former top cop, has been replaced by IPS Anuj Sharma as Police Commissioner in the latest order issued by additional secretary of West Bengal police on Tuesday, 19 February.
Kumar has now been posted as Additional Deputy General (ADG) and Inspector General of Police (IGP) in the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of West Bengal.
SC Judge Recuses Self From Hearing Contempt Petition
SC Judge, Justice L Nageswara Rao recused himself from hearing contempt petition filed by CBI against WB Chief Secy, DGP and former Kolkata Police Commissioner Rajeev Kumar for alleged non-cooperation in connection with Saradha chit fund scam. The case is now listed on 26 February, reported ANI.