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Kolkata Police chief Rajeev Kumar insisted on video recording session with CBI officials on Saturday

WION
New Delhi, Delhi, IndiaWritten By: Pooja MehtaUpdated: Feb 10, 2019, 12:16 AM IST
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Former Kolkata Police Commissioner Rajeev Kumar. Photograph:(ANI)

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Kumar was grilled for almost eight hours by CBI sleuths on Saturday at the CBI’s Shillong unit in connection with the Rose Valley and the Saradha chit fund scams.

Startling details have emerged from the CBI questioning of Kolkata Police commissioner Rajeev Kumar on Saturday late afternoon. Insiders reveal that Kumar insisted the session to be recorded right at the beginning of the questioning leaving no scope for the agency to allege non-cooperation on his part. 

“He had always been cooperating with the agency. He insisted that the agency record the session so that no allegations surface against him that he did not cooperate. The agency had agreed to his request and the entire 8-hour session was video recorded,” said an officer close to him,” said an officer close to him. 

The CBI had claimed in the apex court that he allegedly tampered crucial evidence in the Rose Valley and Saradha chit fund scam. In line with the order, the apex court had asked him to ‘cooperate’ with the CBI officers. 

Kumar was grilled for almost eight hours by CBI sleuths on Saturday at CBI’s Shillong unit in connection with the Rose Valley and the Saradha chit fund scams.

Sources in the CBI reveal that he has been asked to appear before the agency for questioning again on Sunday to get more details on the investigation that was carried out by the Special Investigation Team (SIT), headed by Kumar. 

Kumar was questioned by a special team of 10 officers constituted by the CBI. Sources in the agency reveal that a 22-page questionnaire was prepared by the agency to question him. In line with the Supreme Court order, Kumar was asked to appear before the CBI at Shillong – a mutually accepted location by both Kumar and the CBI.

Ex-TMC MP Kunal Ghosh will also be questioned by the CBI officers in Shillong tomorrow in connection with the Saradha chit fund scam. "Ghosh has, on several occasions, claimed that Kumar had tried to influence the investigation. We may make Ghosh and Kumar sit face to face for questioning tomorrow," said a CBI officer on the condition of anonymity. 

Kolkata Police commissioner arrived in the capital city of Meghalaya on Friday along with his lawyer Biswajit Deb and two other IPS officers – deputy commissioner of Kolkata Police (Special Task Force) Murlidhar Sharma and Additional and Joint Commissioner of Kolkata Police (HQ) Jawed Shamim.

He stayed at a heritage hotel in Shillong, reached Shillong CBI located at Oakland at 11 am and left the office at around 7.15 pm.

On the other hand, a team of CBI officials started arriving in Shillong from Friday. A team led by a DIG rank officer, Vivek Dutt, additional SP and Deputy SP rank officers questioned Kumar.

The Supreme Court on Tuesday directed Kumar to appear before the CBI in Shillong in connection with the two scams. However, the court had also said that the CBI cannot arrest Kumar.