BJP says CBI has proof against Kolkata police chief, to address press today

The Bharatiya Janata Party will address a press conference on Tuesday over the ongoing tussle between the Central Bureau of Investigation and state Police Commissioner Rajiv Kumar, said Union Minister of State for Heavy Industries Babul Supriyo.

Speaking to ANI, Babul said, "Rajiv has earlier headed the Special Investigation Team (SIT) and the CBI has the proof that he had tampered electronic and paper evidence in the chit fund scam. All papers state that Rajeev has been absconding and not cooperating with the CBI. The CBI has a right to conduct surprise raids because warrant may breach secrecy," he added. The Union Minister earlier took the Twitter and wrote, "The desperation & fear of the TMC & Mamata Banerjee are clearly visible in this decision. The state govt is trying 2 block every programme of BJP, be it a rally, yatra or the landing of Yogi Adityanath Ji's chopper. This shows the undemocratic attitude of the government."

A full-blown face-off between West Bengal government and the Centre erupted as a CBI team moved to arrest Kumar, which in turn were unceremoniously denied entry to Kolkata Police chief's residence and then detained. Escalating her confrontation with the Centre, Banerjee started a sit-in on Sunday night to protest, in what her Trinamool Congress party called a "coup" by the Modi government. Extending support to Mamata, her party workers also staged a 'rail roko protest' in Rishra and Asansol over the ongoing issue. The TMC workers have also burnt an effigy of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Asansol.

CBI interim director M Nageshwar Rao has said that the CBI will approach the Supreme Court on Monday accusing the Bengal government of impeding the investigation of a court-ordered probe into the chit fund scams. Rajeev Kumar, a 1989-batch IPS officer of West Bengal cadre was heading a SIT on the Saradha and Rose Valley scams. The CBI wanted the top officer to hand over the seizure list made during his probe, sources said.Reportedly, the top cop was to be questioned regarding missing documents and files but he is not responding to notices to appear before the agency.Rajeev Kumar, according to media reports, became apprehensive of his arrest after Bengali film producer Shrikant Mohita was taken into custody.