The CBI on Monday filed a contempt plea in the Supreme Court against the chief secretary of West Bengal, the director general of police and the police commissioner for alleged wilful and deliberate violation of apex court orders.
A division bench comprising Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and justices Deepak Gupta and Sanjiv Khanna will hear the CBI's plea on Tuesday against Kolkata Police Commissioner Rajeev Kumar and others for alleged non-cooperation in a case connected with the Saradha chit fund scam.
On Sunday, five CBI officials had moved to arrest the Kolkata police commissioner, although they were denied entry to the latter's residence and later detained.
The plea of the CBI seeking initiation of contempt of court proceedings against West Bengal Chief Secretary Malay Kumar De, state DGP Virendra and Police Commissioner Rajeev Kumar said that the agency has been conducting investigation as per the apex court's orders.
The CBI said it has found substantial evidence against the Kolkata police ccommissioner, for which it sent summonses to him.
The plea claimed the summonses were not responded to properly by the police commissioner and he was found to be destroying evidence pertaining to the case.
The agency said the non-cooperation of Rajeev Kumar was brought to the notice of the West Bengal DGP. However, neither the DGP nor the police commissioner cooperated, it alleged.
The CBI is investigating this case under a "hostile environment and non-cooperation from the state of West Bengal and it's agencies/departments", the petition said.
Despite the non-cooperation, the CBI is conducting the investigation diligently and disturbing developments forced it to approach the top court, it said.
Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh had on Monday informed Parliament that the action was taken after the Supreme Court had ordered an investigation into Saradha chit fund case.
CBI Interim Director M Nageshwar Rao had said that Kumar had tampered with the evidence in the Sarada chit fund scam and there was proof to corroborate the same.
The showdown between the CBI and the Kolkata Police also took a political turn after West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata started a dharna on the issue.
A number of opposition leaders including Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav, National Conference leader Omar Abdullah and DMK president MK Stalin have expressed solidarity with Banerjee.
Congress president Rahul Gandhi also extended his support to the TMC supremo, alleging that the events in West Bengal are happening because of the "unrelenting" attack on India's institutions by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP.
Earlier on Monday, the Supreme Court warned of strong action if the Kolkata police commissioner was found "even remotely thinking of destroying" evidence in the Saradha chit fund scam as the Centre moved the top court for arresting him. A bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi will now hear the matter on Tuesday.
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