Mamata Banerjee says Kolkata Police commissioner Rajeev Kumar among the best in the world, KP warns legal action on “baseless” news

West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee took to Twitter to praise Kolkata Police commissioner Rajeev Kumar, saying he is “among the best in the world” and that his integrity, bravery and honesty was unquestioned.

She said this under the backdrop of various newspapers and online reports quoting “sources” that said the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) was “looking for” Kumar and that he had gone “missing.”

The reports mentioned that Kumar was not in office and the CBI was trying to “locate him” and might have to arrest him “as a last resort”. The CBI has long been wanting to “interrogate” him in connection with the Saradha and Rose Valley chit fund scams that Kumar was probing.

Banerjee wrote on Twitter that “lies would remain lies”, adding that Kumar has been working 24×7 and was on leave on only one day.

Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora, along with the full team of the EC had visited Kolkata for election preparatory meetings, and inquired why Kumar not present there. The CEC even asked for a written explanation from the government on it. Banerjee later told the media that Kumar was on leave that day. She also apologised for it if the EC had taken offence. Later, the government has even submitted a written explanation to the state electoral officer, it was learnt.

However, on February 2, news reports emerged that Kumar had gone “missing” and that the CBI was on the lookout for him.

Banerjee wrote on Twitter saying “the highest level of the BJP leadership are doing the worst kind of political vendetta. Not only are political parties their targets, they are misusing power to take control of the police and destroy all institutions. We condemn this.”

 

The Kolkata Police, meanwhile, on its official Facebook page wrote that “if any news is spread without proper verification, Kolkata Police will initiate strict legal action against defamation of both the CP Kolkata and Kolkata Police”.

This is what Kolkata Police posted on Facebook:

“We have noticed a news item doing the rounds of various audiovisual, print, and digital media since Saturday, 02.02.19, to the effect that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is ‘looking for’ Shri Rajeev Kumar, Commissioner of Police, Kolkata, in connection with the Saradha chit fund cases.

The news item also mentions that Shri Rajeev Kumar has not been attending office for three days.

Kolkata Police condemns and denies such baseless news. Please take note that not only is the CP Kolkata available in the city, but has also been attending office on a regular basis, with the exception of 31.1.19, when he was on leave for a day.

All concerned may please take note that if any news is spread without proper verification, Kolkata Police will initiate strict legal action against defamation of both the CP Kolkata and Kolkata Police.”

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