Rajeev Kumar, an IPS officer, was part of a Special Investigation Team set up by the state government to investigate the Saradha chit fund scam, before the Supreme Court handed over the case to the CBI in 2014.
Hearing the plea, a bench headed by Chief Justice of India SA Bodbe told the Solicitor General Tushar Mehta that he must have top convince him on why Kumar's arrest is necessary as he is a high-ranking officer.
If Kumar was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in connection with the case, he would have to be released immediately on bail by an appropriate court on two sureties of Rs 50,000 each, one of whose properties would have to be in the jurisdiction of Kolkata, it was held.
The court asked Rajeev Kumar to furnish a personal bond of Rs 50,000 and two persons as surety in order to get the relief.
Sitharaman pointed out that a drive has been started to clear all pending dues besides, an online portal will be created to monitor the clearance.
Even after repeated summons, Rajeev Kumar refused to present himself before the CBI after which, the CBI reached his residence to question him.
After the court’s direction was appealed to be changed, Justice Mitra asked Mr Mukherjee to file an affdavit on this issue.
Custodial interrogation means that the investigating agency is assuming certain functions of a magistrate before whom Kumar would have to appear, Mukherjee said.
Nalini Chidambaram, the wife of the then Union home minister, P Chidambaram is yet to appear in court, Mukherjee said, adding she could have been a key witness.
The court also directed the CBI to send a designated officer to Kumar's residence every day at 4 pm to record his attendance.
