NEW DELHI: The chief of Kolkata police cannot be arrested but will have to turn in evidence of chit fund scams in West Bengal and cooperate with the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), report agencies.
India's Supreme Court gave the order on Tuesday after the central government filed a petition following a showdown between Kolkata police and the CBI.
The top court of India directed Kolkata Police Commissioner Rajeev Kumar to make himself available before the CBI and "faithfully" cooperate with the agency in investigation of cases arising out of the Saradha and Rose Valley chit fund scams probe.
The apex court said Kumar will appear before the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for investigation at Shillong in Meghalaya.
The apex court, however, added that no coercive steps, including arrest, will take place during the course of investigation.
A bench headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Ranjan Gogoi also issued a notice to Kumar and sought his response before February 20, the next date of hearing on the allegations by the CBI that he was tampering with electronic evidence and that the SIT headed by him provided the agency with doctored materials.
The CBI filed additional documents in the court on Tuesday to back up its claim that he had destroyed evidence related to the Saradha and Rose Valley chit fund scams.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) of the Indian central government Tuesday asked the West Bengal government to initiate disciplinary proceedings against the Commissioner of Police, Kolkata.
The MHA is the cadre controlling authority of the IPS.
In the documents, the CBI stated that the role of Kolkata's police chief was being investigated as the Special Investigation Team formed to probe the Saradha and Rose Valley chit fund scams had protected these companies as they had made contributions to the Trinamool Congress.
Senior lawyer Abhishek Manu Singhvi, who appeared for West Bengal, said the CBI's attempt to search the top cop's home was is a bid to harass and humiliate him.
