New Delhi: It was an unusual sight: Kolkata Police Commissioner Rajeev Kumar, who is facing a CBI probe in the multi-crore chit fund scams, joined Mamata Banerjee’s dharna in his uniform, hours after the CBI team was prevented by the city police from interrogating him. “What is happening? A Police Commissioner is sitting on a dharna with politicians? What is the meaning of this? By sitting on dharna West Bengal CM is following in the footsteps of Arvind Kejriwal,” Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad told a Press conference, soon after Home Minister
Rajnath Singh said in the Lok Sabha that he has sought a report from West Bengal Governor Kesarinath Tripathi. Though the contents of the Governor’s report were not immediately available, the Home Ministry sources said Rajnath Singh had spoken to him and sought a report on violation of the All-India Service Conduct Rules by the police commissioner, a 1989 batch IPS officer of Bengal cadre, and other officers who blocked his interrogation by the CBI team.
Rajeev Kumar, who had headed the Special Investigation Team (SIT) into Saradha and Rose Valley chit fund scams in which thousands of small investors were cheated of their money, may face action under Section 5 of the service conduct rules on the charge of “taking part in politics” as also under section 7 for participating in a demonstration with a political leader (Mamata), which is prejudicial to interest of the sovereignty and integrity of India.
The rules contemplate an immediate suspension of the officer but the Home Ministry will wait for the Supreme Court’s hearing on the CBI’s petition on Tuesday before taking any action. Maybe, the court will itself order his suspension and arrest, a Home Ministry official said. Law minister Prasad slammed the opposition parties which were extending support to Mamata Banerjee’s ‘dharna,” asking “is it a crime to investigate scams?” and asserting that “this is no gathbandhan (grand alliance) but an opportunistic alliance.”