Rajeev Kumar anticipatory bail plea: special court says no jurisdiction to hear case, former CP moves district judges court

Former Kolkata Police commissioner Rajeev Kumar’s anticipatory bail plea was not heard by the special court at Barasat today as it said it had no jurisdiction to hear the case. Kumar’s team of lawyers have thus moved the District Judges court. A hearing on this is expected later in the day.

Kumar had filed for anticipatory bail, with the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) asking him to appear for interrogation since the Calcutta High Court lifted the protection from arrest on him on Friday.

Since the High Court order, the CBI made repeated attempts to contact Kumar, who is currently on leave. However, Kumar neither appeared for the questioning as asked by the CBI to be present in their Salt Lake office on Saturday morning at 10, nor was he available over phone, according to various reports quoting CBI sources. On not being able to contact him, the CBI authorities sent letters to the state chief secretary, home secretary and the director general of state police, on Sunday and Monday.

The government has informed CBI authorities that Kumar is on leave and letters have been sent to his Kolkata residence stating that the CBI had approached the state on the matter.

The CBI has prepared to oppose the anticipatory bail and there are indications from various reports that the central agency will try to appeal for non-bailable arrest warrant against Kumar.