Loudon street was cordoned off with heavy deployment of policemen outside Kumar’s house. Kolkata police were also deployed at CGO complex which houses CBI office.Drama unfolded Sunday evening with a standoff between CBI and Kolkata police, after the former landed at the residence of police commissioner Rajeev Kumar in Kolkata. Kolkata police thwarted and then detained CBI officials, after dragging them into a police jeep.
Heavy deployment of police was seen at Kumar’s house as well as CGO complex which houses the office of CBI. Chief minister Mamata Banerjee went to the police commissioner’s residence following the incident.
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The development comes in the wake of speculations that Rajiv Kumar would be summoned for interrogation into chit fund scam cases including Saradha case. Earlier in the day, chief minister Mamata Banerjee tweeted that Kolkata police commissioner is one of the best in the world and was on leave for just one day. Also, Kolkata police held a press conference and stated that the news about summons is baseless. The state police also informed that they will take legal action against those spreading such news.
At around 6.10 pm CBI officials in two vehicles led by DSP Tathagata Bardhan went to Kumar’s residence at Loudon Street. They were thwarted by a team of policemen led by Meeraj Khalid, Deputy Commissioner (South). CBI officials informed that they wanted to record the statement of Kolkata police commissioner, replying to which police officials stated that they (CBI) need to give prior information.
A group of CBI officials stayed near the residence and another team went to Park street police station. The CBI officials wanted to give a letter of intimation to Park Street police station, however, were told to go to Shakespear Sarani police station under which the commissioner residence falls.
As the CBI officials went to Shakespear Sarani police station, cops at Kumar’s residence were seen landing into a heated argument following which policemen dragged CBI officials into a police jeep. CBI officials were manhandled and taken away Kumar’s residence to Shakespear Sarani police station.
Meanwhile, Loudon street was cordoned off with heavy deployment of policemen outside Kumar’s house. Kolkata police were also deployed at CGO complex which houses CBI office.
“We have summoned him earlier to talk to him regarding chit fund investigation. He, however, failed to turn up. That is why our team went to his residence to talk to him and record his statement,” said a CBI source.
The agency wants to question the officers on the ground that they were the one probing the case in initial days. Kumar was posted as the Bidhannagar commissioner and headed the Special investigation team which probed sarada chit fund scam in 2013. Later CBI took up the case under Supreme Court order.
Earlier in the day chief minister Mamata Banerjee tweeted ‘The Kolkata Police Commissioner is among the best in the world. His integrity, bravery and honesty are unquestioned. He is working 24/7, and was on leave only for one day recently. When you spread lies , the lies will only remain lies.”
