Saradha scam: HC vacates order granting protection from arrest to ex-top cop

The Calcutta High Court on Friday vacated its interim order granting former Kolkata police commissioner Rajeev Kumar protection from arrest in the Saradha chitfund scam case.

The court also rejected Kumar's prayer for quashing of a CBI notice that sought his appearance for questioning in the case.

Kumar, who is currently the West Bengal CID Additional Director General, was part of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) set up by the state government to investigate the scam before the Supreme Court handed over the case to the CBI in 2014, along with other chitfund cases.

The Saradha group of companies allegedly duped lakhs of customers to the tune of Rs 2,500 crore, promising higher rates of return on investment.

Kumar was the commissioner of Bidhannagar Police when the SIT was formed and looked after its day to day operations, his counsel had told the court during the hearing of the case.

Justice Mitra, in her order said that Kumar's allegation that he was targetted and singled out for ...