Kolkata police chief Rajeev Kumar and other officers denied CBI's allegations on Saradha scam

The West Bengal government and its police denied the CBI's allegations in the Supreme Court on Monday that they obstructed investigation into the Saradha chit fund scam cases, with the state police asserting the central agency forcefully tried to enter the Kolkata police chief's home on February 3 without valid papers.

Chief Secretary Malay Kumar De, DGP Virendera Kumar and Kolkata Police Commissioner Rajeev Kumar filed separate affidavits in the top court on the contempt petition moved by the CBI in connection with the scam and gave "unconditional and unambiguous apology" for alleged disobedience of the court.

The trio, however, said the West Bengal government and the state police at no point of time obstructed investigation or denied cooperation with the CBI. The officers opposed the contempt petition in which the CBI alleged that they were tampering with evidence and not complying with the top court's orders relating to the probe by asserting that there was a need for directions to the probe agency not to make any vague allegations without substantial and cogent evidence.

Referring to the February 3 incident, Kolkata police chief Rajeev Kumar said in his affidavit that the CBI forcibly tried to enter his house without valid papers. The contention has been supported by the DGP in his affidavit.

They said no police officer went on a "dharna manch" where West Bengal Chief Minister Mamta Banerjee sat in protest against the CBI action. The DGP and Mr Kumar said no police officer, in uniform or otherwise at any given point in time, ever sat or joined the dharna along with Ms Banerjee.

Mr Kumar, against whom the CBI has alleged tampering of electronic evidence including call detail records, said he was never in direct possession of evidence, material or documents.

They responded to the notices issued on February 5 by the top court which had asked them to clarify their stand on the allegation that evidence was tampered with and the state police was not cooperating with the Central Bureau of Investigation.