india

Updated: May 02, 2019 00:42 IST

The Central Bureau Investigation (CBI) on Wednesday submitted in a sealed cover three documents to the Supreme Court that purportedly establishes former Kolkata police commissioner Rajeev Kumar’s role in the alleged tampering of evidence in the Saradha and other chit fund cases.

The CBI has alleged, the special investigation team (SIT) headed by Kumar, that was constituted by the West Bengal government to probe the Saradha case in 2013, destroyed crucial evidence to protect several key accused in the case.

The agency handed over the documents a day after the top court asked the CBI to place credible evidence to justify Kumar’s custodial interrogation. According to a previous court order, the CBI is prohibited from getting Kumar’s custody. The agency wants the stay to be vacated. Even as the agency placed the documents, the court felt that if the plea is allowed it would have severe consequences. “If a public official is arrested that may lead to suspension of the officer. It has severe consequences for the officers. Many countries do not allow custodial interrogation,” a bench led by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Ranjan Gogoi said.

At this, solicitor general Tushar Mehta said: “There is evidence of destruction of evidence, shielding the high and mighty, tampering with evidence. If there are consequences, so be it. I am pleading on law and the law should take its course.”

Mehta submitted that contrary to the allegations, the CBI was not targeting Kumar. The agency was keen to take the investigations to the logical conclusions. Kumar’s custodial interrogation is required as he was in-charge of the SIT, he argued.