The Supreme Court Tuesday issued notice to the Mamata Banerjee government on the CBI’s plea that its officers investigating the chit fund scam cases were “held hostage” by state police when they went to the residence of Kolkata Police Commissioner Rajeev Kumar.
The Supreme Court Tuesday issued notice to the Mamata Banerjee government on the CBI’s plea that its officers investigating the chit fund scam cases were “held hostage” by state police when they went to the residence of Kolkata Police Commissioner Rajeev Kumar.
A bench of Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi and Justices Deepak Gupta and Sanjiv Khanna also asked Kumar to make himself available before the CBI at a “neutral place” for investigation and fixed Shillong for this.
The apex court, however, directed that no coercive action including arrest be taken against the Commissioner.
The court asked the State Chief Secretary, Director General of Police and Kumar to file their replies to the CBI’s contentions by February 18.
It said that their personal presence may be needed at the next date of hearing and added the court will decide on this after going through their replies.
Appearing for the CBI, Attorney General K K Venugopal severely criticised the actions of the state police which said had “attacked” the CBI officials who were acting in pursuance of SC orders and said “that the state is prepared to attack the police force of centre means total breakdown of constitutional machinery”.
He strongly urged the court to issue contempt notice to the state.The Supreme Court Tuesday issued notice to the Mamata Banerjee government on the CBI’s plea that its officers investigating the chit fund scam cases were “held hostage” by state police when they went to the residence of Kolkata Police Commissioner Rajeev Kumar.
A bench of Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi and Justices Deepak Gupta and Sanjiv Khanna also asked Kumar to make himself available before the CBI at a “neutral place” for investigation and fixed Shillong for this.
The apex court, however, directed that no coercive action including arrest be taken against the Commissioner.
The court asked the State Chief Secretary, Director General of Police and Kumar to file their replies to the CBI’s contentions by February 18.
It said that their personal presence may be needed at the next date of hearing and added the court will decide on this after going through their replies.
Appearing for the CBI, Attorney General K K Venugopal severely criticised the actions of the state police which said had “attacked” the CBI officials who were acting in pursuance of SC orders and said “that the state is prepared to attack the police force of centre means total breakdown of constitutional machinery”.
He strongly urged the court to issue contempt notice to the state.
The AG said the agency had taken over the case from the SIT constituted by the state following the SC’s order transferring the probe to it.
The agency had subsequently summoned Kumar, who was in charge of the day to say affairs of the SIT as it doubted that the material handed over to it by the SIT “was doctored”, Venugopal pointed out.
“We had some doubts about documentation that was handed over”, he submitted.
Appearing for the state government, senior counsel Abhishek Manu Singhvi said the attempt was to “humiliate” Kumar and “score a point”.
A bench of Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi and Justices Deepak Gupta and Sanjiv Khanna also asked Kumar to make himself available before the CBI at a “neutral place” for investigation and fixed Shillong for this.
The apex court, however, directed that no coercive action including arrest be taken against the Commissioner.
The court asked the State Chief Secretary, Director General of Police and Kumar to file their replies to the CBI’s contentions by February 18.
It said that their personal presence may be needed at the next date of hearing and added the court will decide on this after going through their replies.
Appearing for the CBI, Attorney General K K Venugopal severely criticised the actions of the state police which said had “attacked” the CBI officials who were acting in pursuance of SC orders and said “that the state is prepared to attack the police force of centre means total breakdown of constitutional machinery”.
He strongly urged the court to issue contempt notice to the state.The Supreme Court Tuesday issued notice to the Mamata Banerjee government on the CBI’s plea that its officers investigating the chit fund scam cases were “held hostage” by state police when they went to the residence of Kolkata Police Commissioner Rajeev Kumar.
A bench of Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi and Justices Deepak Gupta and Sanjiv Khanna also asked Kumar to make himself available before the CBI at a “neutral place” for investigation and fixed Shillong for this.
The apex court, however, directed that no coercive action including arrest be taken against the Commissioner.
The court asked the State Chief Secretary, Director General of Police and Kumar to file their replies to the CBI’s contentions by February 18.
It said that their personal presence may be needed at the next date of hearing and added the court will decide on this after going through their replies.
Appearing for the CBI, Attorney General K K Venugopal severely criticised the actions of the state police which said had “attacked” the CBI officials who were acting in pursuance of SC orders and said “that the state is prepared to attack the police force of centre means total breakdown of constitutional machinery”.
He strongly urged the court to issue contempt notice to the state.
The AG said the agency had taken over the case from the SIT constituted by the state following the SC’s order transferring the probe to it.
The agency had subsequently summoned Kumar, who was in charge of the day to say affairs of the SIT as it doubted that the material handed over to it by the SIT “was doctored”, Venugopal pointed out.
“We had some doubts about documentation that was handed over”, he submitted.
Appearing for the state government, senior counsel Abhishek Manu Singhvi said the attempt was to “humiliate” Kumar and “score a point”.