CBI moves Supreme Court against Bengal govt & Police commissioner

New Delhi: The CBI moved the SC on Monday complaining about the West Bengal government’s alleged non-cooperation in a probe into the multi-crore chit fund cases and alleged a breakdown of the law and order machinery in the state, a day after a team of CBI officials in Bengal to arrest police commissioner Rajeev Kumar was allegedly manhandled and held in “illegal confinement”.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta mentioned an application filed by the CBI as soon as the court convened for the day for an early hearing. He cited the unprecedented situation in which CBI officers were kept in custody and under siege. “What is the position in the morning,” the CJI asked. “They have been released,” Mehta said. He, however, urged the SC to order Kumar to surrender.

“We have issued four summons to him. We have intimated the DGP. He is a potential accused. He must be asked to surrender,” he said. “Otherwise, we apprehend that the electronic evidence in the form of RTGS payments may be destroyed.” The CJI brushed off his demand for an immediate hearing later in the day. “If it’s electronic evidence, it can be retrieved again,” the CJI said. When Mehta insisted, he said that he had read the papers submitted by the CBI and there was no evidence to suggest that he would. “You show us the evidence, we will come down with a heavy hand,” the CJI said.