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SC dismisses ex-Kolkata Police commissioner Rajeev Kumar’s plea

Kumar had moved the apex court on Monday seeking an extension of seven-day protection from arrest in the Saradha scam chit fund case.

SC dismisses ex-Kolkata Police commissioner Rajeev Kumar’s plea

Rajeev Kumar (File Photo: IANS)

The Supreme Court on Friday refused to entertain the plea of former Kolkata Police Commissioner Rajeev Kumar, who was seeking protection from arrest by CBI till concerned jurisdictional court in West Bengal decides his anticipatory bail plea.

Kumar had moved the apex court on Monday seeking an extension of seven-day protection from arrest in the Saradha scam chit fund case.

“You (Rajeev Kumar) can go to Calcutta High Court or trial courts as they are functional. There is no vacation there (in courts of West Bengal). Seek appropriate remedy,” a vacation bench headed by Justice Arun Mishra told the IPS officer.

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Kumar had in his reason for extension cited the strike by lawyers in West Bengal because of which he could not move the court in the state.

A Supreme Court bench of Justice Indira Banerjee and Justice Sanjiv Khanna had asked Kumar’s counsel to approach the Secretary-General of the court for setting up of a three-judge bench.

The top court had on 17 May vacated the interim protection extended to Kumar from arrest by the CBI over his alleged role in destroying evidence in Saradha chit fund case.

The court then gave him seven days to get anticipatory bail from an appropriate court.

The CBI had earlier in April moved the Supreme Court seeking permission to arrest and custodial interrogation of Kumar. The probe agency also wanted the top court to withdraw its 5 February order granting protection to Rajeev Kumar from arrest.

The agency has claimed that the Kolkata police chief had destroyed the evidence in the chit fund scam when he headed the SIT.

An intense drama was witnessed on 3 February, 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.

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