The Centre has called the Supreme Court directive on Kolkata Police commissioner Rajeev Kumar in connection with the Saradha chit fund scam a “moral victory” for the CBI. Mamata Banerjee too has welcomed the verdict and called it a “moral victory” for her.
The Supreme Court today told the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) that Kumar cannot be arrested. Kumar had earlier requested the CBI to decide on a “neutral” place – neither Kolkata nor Delhi – where the two sides could meet and “discuss” the investigation of the Saradha chit fund scam. He has written several times to the CBI on this issue. The apex court today accepted this, and it has been decided that such a meeting will take place in Shillong. The court has asked Kumar to appear before the CBI before February 20.
Stating that the apex court order was “moral victory for the CBI”, Union law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad added that the Opposition should not attempt to “politicise” the issue. Calling it a “moral obligation” to carry the investigation forward, the law minister welcomed the apex court verdict.
BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra meanwhile also reacted calling the SC notice a ‘huge loss of face’ for the Mamata government in West Bengal.
