The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) faced strong judicial questioning in the Supreme Court over its plea to cancel the bail granted to West Bengal’s DGP, Rajeev Kumar, in the Saradha Chit Fund case.
The CBI had challenged the bail granted by the Calcutta High Court. On Monday, the bench of Chief Justice B.R. Gavai and Justice K. Vinod Chandran heard the case, during which the Chief Justice expressed deep surprise over the CBI’s conduct.
Chief Justice Gavai questioned, “Why did the CBI not interrogate Rajeev Kumar even once in the last six years?” He observed that the entire sequence of events was ‘shocking’.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the CBI, countered in court by saying that the court would be surprised if it reviewed the detailed case records. Conversely, Rajeev Kumar’s lawyer, Biswajit Deb, alleged that the ‘efficient IPS officer’ was being deliberately harassed and defamed.
Supreme Court’s Observation and Direction:
Expressing astonishment that the case had languished for six years, the Chief Justice remarked, “Anticipatory bail was granted six years ago. It was not cancelled. How can we cancel the anticipatory bail after six years? You (CBI) did not even interrogate him during this period.” Tushar Mehta, however, claimed that Rajeev Kumar had been interrogated three times.
The Supreme Court stated that the full hearing of the case will take place next Friday. The CBI’s contempt of court case filed against Rajeev Kumar will also be heard on the same day. Tushar Mehta requested a simultaneous hearing for both cases, arguing they were interconnected.
It is pertinent to note that the Saradha investigation was initially started by the State Government’s Special Investigation Team (SIT), of which the then Bidhannagar Police Commissioner Rajeev Kumar was a member. The case was transferred to the CBI in 2014 on the direction of the Supreme Court.