Kolkata Police team and CBI officers engaged in a faceoff on Sunday after the investigative agency tried entering the residence of Police Commissioner Rajeev Kumar in order to question him in connection with the Saradha chit fund case. CBI officers were stopped from questioning the police chief, and were even taken to a police station. The CBI wanted to question Kumar, who led a Special Investigation Team of West Bengal police probing the Rose Valley and Saradha ponzi scams, regarding certain missing documents and files. According to officials, Kumar did not respond to notices asking him to appear before the agency. 

Kumar, a 1989 batch IPS officer of West Bengal cadre, did not even attend a meeting with Election Commission officials who had gone to Kolkata to meet him regarding election preparedness, sources said. When contacted, his staff claimed Kumar had come to office Friday but had left.

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A statement was issued Sunday from Kolkata Police, dismissing reports of him being missing from work. "Please take note that not only is the CP Kolkata available in the city, but has also been attending office on a regular basis, with the exception of January 31, 2019, when he was on leave for a day. All concerned may please take note that if any news is spread without proper verification, Kolkata Police will initiate strict legal action against defamation of both the CP Kolkata and Kolkata Police," the police said. 

Earlier in the day, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee extended her support to the Kolkata Police Commissioner and accused the BJP leadership of pursuing political vendetta.

"The highest levels of the BJP leadership are doing the worst kind of political vendetta. Not only are political parties their targets, they are misusing power to take control of the police and destroy all institutions. We condemn this," Banerjee tweeted.

"The Kolkata Police Commissioner is among the best in the world. His integrity, bravery and honesty are unquestioned. He is working 24x7, and was on leave for only

one day recently. When you spread lies, the lies will always remain lies," Banerjee added.