The CBI has set up a special team to trace former Kolkata police commissioner Rajeev Kumar, who is alleged to have “evaded” the agency’s notices to appear before it in connection with the Saradha ponzi scam case, sources said. Highly places sources said the agency is trying to locate Kumar and has written to the West Bengal DGP and the chief secretary to instruct Kumar to appear before the investigation team.
They said a special team has been constituted to locate Kumar. Kumar did not appear for questioning twice in spite of CBI notices after Calcutta High Court withdrew the protection given to him from the arrest on Friday, they said. The agency had given him notice to appear at 10 a.m. on Tuesday but he failed to turn up, they said. The agency has now started proceeding on “other options” available to it under the law, they said.
Meanwhile, Kumar on Tuesday failed to get relief from the Barasat District and Sessions Court on his anticipatory bail application in the Saradha chit fund case, hours after a special court refused to hear his plea. Sessions judge S Rashidi disposed of Kumar’s anticipatory bail plea and said it has no jurisdiction in the matter as the multi-crore chitfund scam case was registered at Alipore district court.
(With Agency inputs)