CBI to grill Kolkata Police chief in Shillong on Saturday

Shillong, Feb 8 (IANS) The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) will question Kolkata Police Commissioner Rajeev Kumar on Saturday in connection with the Saradha chit fund case, an official said on Friday.

Kumar arrived in the state capital of Meghalaya on Friday evening from Kolkata via Guwahati by road with three more West Bengal cadre IPS officers and his younger brother, an official said.

"Kumar will be questioned in CBI office, Shillong branch by a team of interrogators in connection with the chit fund case on Saturday," a senior official told IANS on condition of anonymity.

He said the Kolkata Police Commissioner, who is staying in a private guest house, is not allowed to meet anyone.

The Meghalaya Police has provided adequate security to Kumar during his stay in Shillong.

In his order issued on February 6, Rishi Kumar Shukla, the Director of the premier investigating agency, attached 10 officers, including one Superintendent of Police (SP), three Additional SPs, two Deputy SPs and three Inspectors from different zones to the agency's Kolkata Economic Offences Wing from February 8 to 20.

The agency had directed all the 10 officials to report to the Joint Director of the CBI in Kolkata.

A team of CBI was allegedly roughed up and detained for a few hours when it went to question Kumar at his residence in Kolkata on Sunday in connection with its probe into the Saradha and Rose Valley chit fund cases.

Following the face-off between the CBI and the Kolkata Police, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee went on a hunger strike for over 45 hours starting Sunday.

The Supreme Court, while hearing the matter on Tuesday, directed the Kolkata Police Commissioner to join the CBI probe at a neutral place -- in Meghalaya's capital Shillong.