ED officer alleges ‘larger conspiracy’ to eject him from Rose Valley probe

Kolkata, Jan 31 (IANS) ED officer Manoj Kumar, who is facing allegations of closeness to the wife of scam-accused Rose Valley Chit Fund owner Gautam Kundu, Tuesday termed the accusations as part of a "larger conspiracy" to remove him from the investigation into the scam even as police said he could be summoned for questioning.

"This is a larger conspiracy to eject me out of the case. I don't want to comment... political victim or a victim of cross fire by the Kolkata police for the reason best known to them," the Enforcement Directorate officer said on Tuesday.

Some television channels have been beaming footage since Monday night purportedly showing Kumar and the woman together at the Kolkata airport and at a hotel said to be in New Delhi. Some channels have claimed that the videos were released by the police, but the latter did not confirm it when IANS posed the question.

IANS has not verified the footage.

"Yes, they may be summoned, not sure, but if the investigation needs they may be summoned," said a senior officer of Kolkata police.

Referring to the footage, Kumar, the investigating officer in the chit fund scam, said he went to Delhi for official work related to the investigation.

"I went there on my own to file the complaint of attachment. She came for her own work," he told media persons.

Terming the woman as a "great help in the investigation", the officer said he was able to trace the huge property of Rose Valley with her help.

"She has been a great help in the investigation and with her help I was able to attach the property worth of Rs 16,000 crore," he said.

Kumar also claimed that he is being victimised because through his investigation, ED is about to attach more property and tag more people in relation to the scam.

"The investigation done by me in the Rose Valley cases was also appreciated by the PMLA (Prevention of Money Laundering Act) court and the High Court. ED is about to attach more property of Rose Valley as well as the various persons for which the legal formality is under process," he added.