The detailed letter of Kolkata Police Commissioner Rajeev Kumar, written to CBI director Alok Verma, suggested that the top cop was humiliated as he received summons from the CBI in Saradha scam as one of the accused.
The letter, which is in the possession of THE WEEK, also showed that CBI has not asked Kumar to submit details of the investigation, but he was summoned as one of the key accused in the case under section 160 of Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC). CBI earlier sent the same notice to the prime accused in the case, including the people they arrested.
Though ten years senior to him in service, Kumar, a 1989 batch IPS officer of West Bengal cadre, chose to address the CBI director as “dear Shri Verma” instead of “dear sir”.
Kumar said in this letter, “Notice sent to me regarding the case RC 04/S/2014 against Sudipta Sen (Saradha boss) and others….the notice has been sent to me with a pre-determined mind set rather than requirements of the investigation.”
Kumar said two officers of the Bidhan Nagar police, which carried out the investigation on behalf of West Bengal police earlier, were interrogated.
“No effort was made by the investigating agency (CBI) to seek answer to any doubt, which they might have had about the role of the investigating officer or supervising officer. It will not be out of place to mention that two inspectors who were associated with the investigation of this case were examined under 160 of CrPC,” the letter said.
Kumar said the CBI did not follow the proper order to call officers for interrogation.
“ Surprisingly no other senior officer has been sent such notice. Next notice was sent to the undersigned,” he lamented.
The top cop of Kolkata police then termed CBI’s call nothing but politically motivated.
“I would also like to bring to your notice the fact that about a year ago one public comment was made by one senior leader of a political party, against which a criminal and civil defamation suit was filed. There are strong reasons to believe that this is being done to satisfy the gentleman,” alleged Kumar.
It is unprecedented that a top police officer of a state accuse the CBI of working under political pressure.
There was sharp comments made by Kumar in which he said if a police commissioner is summoned in a case, then it would open a flood gate.
“If a commissioner of police are served notices under section 160 of CrPc in cases which were supervised by them without even trying to make basic correspondence or ascertaining the exact circumstances, is like opening a Pandora’s box,” said he.
Kumar then said such action had broken basic decorum of service and added that it would have been better if he was asked to explain it in writing.
“And if the investigating agency is satisfied with written reply given by the officer concerned, right to serve notice under section 160 CrPc always exists,” said the Kolkata police commissioner, one of the close aides of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
The senior IPS officer then advised the CBI director to get the facts and documents collected and verified by a set of officers, who are not in charge of investigation of Saradha case.
“...the present team, investigating the case, I am afraid, seems to be pursuing an agenda rather than carrying out unbiased investigation. I would request you to look into this personally,” Kumar said at the end.
Though, sources said, the letter was written in a sealed enveloped as confidential mater, but CBI director Verma decided to send the letter back to Kolkata office of the CBI. Verma reportedly kept faith on his team probing the Saradha case and sought opinion from his officers regarding the letter written by Kolkata police commissioner.
That no change of stance taken by CBI office in Kolkata would mean that the CBI rubbished the allegations made by Kumar and stuck to its stand in summoning top cop of Kolkata police.
“We are sorry but he would have to appear before us,” said a senior CBI officer, this evening.
