Officers of Central Bureau of Investigation who started questioning Kolkata police commissioner Rajeev Kumar in Shillong on Saturday in line with a Supreme Court order in connection with the Saradha chit fund scam, failed to make any headway, sources said.
Despite eight hours of questioning, Kumar reportedly refused to cooperate with the CBI team. The Kolkata top cop was accompanied by his lawyer Bishwajit Deb.
Kumar who arrived here on Friday and checked into a top heritage hotel was taken to the CBI office at Oakland in the heart of the city and his interview commenced at 11am but till late afternoon the CBI team has not been able to break him, the source added.
Watch| Kolkata top cop Rajeev Kumar grilled for 8 hours by CBI
With journalists around the CBI office where Kumar is being questioned, security at the location is extremely tight.
The 12-member CBI team led by Vivek Dutt consists of officers of the rank of SP, Additional SP, DSP amongst others. Dutt holds the rank of DIG.
Sources said that despite the Supreme Court directing Kumar to “faithfully” cooperate with the probe while telling the CBI to desist from arresting him, he hasn’t budged so far.
{{/usCountry}}Sources said that despite the Supreme Court directing Kumar to “faithfully” cooperate with the probe while telling the CBI to desist from arresting him, he hasn’t budged so far.
{{/usCountry}}It is likely that he may be shifted to another location in the suburbs of the capital city so that concerted efforts by the CBI team will continue on Sunday.
The next date of hearing is scheduled for February 20 so the exercise will have to be expedited, sources said.
The CBI has alleged in the Supreme Court that Kumar, who headed a special investigation team (SIT) investigating the Saradha chit fund scam, tampered with electronic evidence and handed over documents to the agency which included some that had been “doctored”.
Kumar arrived in Shillong for questioning as per Supreme Court orders that had also made it clear that the CBI cannot arrest him.
Last Sunday, Kumar was the catalyst of a showdown between West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee and the Centre with Banerjee launching a protest and accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah of plotting a ‘coup’ and using the CBI and government agencies to threaten political opponents.