Saugata Roy of the TMC said in Lok Sabha that the ‘Satyagraha’ by West Bengal CM was against the misuse of CBI by the Central government.
Parliament. (File Photo: IANS)
The CBI and Mamata Banerjee face-off reached the Parliament on Monday with both the Houses getting adjourned amid uproar by Trinamool Congress members.
The Rajya Sabha was adjourned for the day while the Lok Sabha has been adjourned till 2 pm.
Amid ‘CBI tota hain’ (CBI is a caged parrot) slogans by opposition members, Home Minister Rajnath Singh said in the Lok Sabha that the “fight between probe agencies — the CBI and the Kolkata Police — is a danger to the federal structure of the country”.
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Defending the CBI team’s arrival at Kolkata Police Commissioner Rajeev Kumar’s official residence to question him in connection with the Saradha chit fund case, Singh said the action was taken after the Supreme Court had ordered an investigation into the scam.
He said the top cop was summoned many a time by the probe agency but had refused to appear.
Singh further said that the agency in its investigation until now had found the involvement of many political persons.
The CBI has claimed that Kumar has been instrumental in causing destruction of evidence and obstructing justice in the case.
Singh further said West Bengal Governor Keshari Nath Tripathi has summoned the Chief Secretary and the Director General of Police and has asked them to take immediate action to resolve the situation.
Earlier in the day, the CBI moved the Supreme Court seeking directions to Kolkata Police Commissioner Rajeev Kumar to cooperate with the investigation in the Saradha chit fund case.
The Supreme Court will hear the matter on Tuesday, CJI Ranjan Gogoi said.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta representing the CBI sought directions to Kumar to cooperate with the probe and surrender all the evidence related to the chit fund case, stating that the top cop was a “potential accused”.
The entire drama unfolded on Sunday afternoon when a team of 40-odd CBI officers reached Kumar’s residence, and a team of Kolkata Police officers rushed there to inquire if they had the documents required to question the CP.
Later, a small team of the agency officials was taken to the Shakespeare Sarani police station for further discussions. Soon, more CBI men arrived at the Loudon Street home of Rajeev Kumar and a commotion ensued. Some CBI men were then bundled into police jeeps and taken to the police station.
After the CBI-police face-off, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee began a sit-in in front of the Metro Cinema to protest “insults” faced at the hands of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah. She accused both the BJP leaders of organising a “coup” on West Bengal.
Saugata Roy of the TMC said in Lok Sabha that the “Satyagraha” by West Bengal CM was against the misuse of the investigation agency by the Central government.
“We strongly protest against the CBI and BJP leadership led by PM Modi and Amit Shah who have damaged the constitutional structure. The PM should answer in the House,” he said.
Soon after the House met for the day, Roy had earlier urged the Chair to suspend the Question Hour.
As the Speaker tried to continue the Question Hour, Trinamool members trooped near the podium and started sloganeering against the government.
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