CJI rejects plea by WB IPS Rajeev Kumar

In a setback to West Bengal cadre controversial IPS officer Rajeev Kumar, the Supreme Court on Tuesday rejected his plea for setting up a larger bench led by the Chief Justice of India to consider his plea for extension of seven-day interim protection granted to him, until the lawyers withdrew their strike in the state.

Kumar, a close confidant of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, apprehended arrest by the CBI for alleged tampering of evidence by providing incomplete call detail records and other materials in the Saradha chit fund scam probe.

On Monday, he sought an extension of time for exploring legal remedies since the lawyers in the West Bengal were on strike. The court, however, told him to approach the Secretary-General for making a request with the CJI for setting up the three-judge bench which had on Friday withdrew the protection from arrest and gave him seven-day time to approach the court for anticipatory bail.

On Tuesday, it was learnt that CJI Ranjan Gogoi rejected his plea for setting up the bench to decide his plea.

On Friday, the top court withdrew its protection from arrest granted to West Bengal ADG Kumar on February 5, on a plea by the CBI.

On February 3, when the CBI sleuths went to the residence of Kumar, then Kolkata police commissioner to question him, the state police laid seize of the central investigating agency's personnel. Chief Minister also rushed to his residence and subsequently sat on a 'dharna'.

The top court later told Kumar to join the investigation and appear before the CBI in Shillong. It had ordered that no coercive action should be taken against him.

On the CBI's plea, the court had on May 17 modified its February 5 order. Kumar was last week removed by the Election Commission following the arson and violent clashes during BJP president Amit Shah's roadshow. He was attached with the Union Home Ministry.