Saradha scam: Ex-Kolkata Police chief Rajeev Kumar moves anticipatory bail plea

Kolkata: A day after Alipore Judges Court said that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has right to arrest IPS officer Rajeev Kumar in Saradha chit fund scam case, the latter moved it to file an anticipatory bail petition.

District Judge Sujoy Sengupta accepted his petition. The matter is likely to be heard tomorrow.

The investigating agency yesterday sought a non-bailable warrant (NBW) against Kumar, who is presently posted as Additional Director of the Crime Investigation Department (CID). The court, however, turned down the CBI's plea.

The plea for grant of NBW came after he failed to appear before the agency despite being summoned several times.

The court directed the CBI to approach the court if its officers are manhandled during an arrest bid.

Kumar had also moved a plea contending that the CBI requires the West Bengal government's nod to arrest him as he is a government official.

The Calcutta High Court had last week withdrawn protection from arrest granted to the former Kolkata Commissioner in the case.

Kumar is accused of tampering with evidence in Saradha scam case. He was a part of the SIT constituted by the state government to probe the scam before the Supreme Court transferred it to the CBI.