Look-out notice issued against ex-Kolkata top cop Rajeev Kumar

In a big trouble for former Kolkata Police Commissioner Rajeev Kumar, a Look Out Notice has been issued by the Bureau of Immigration against Kumar for a year. The notice, which will be valid till May 23, 2020, means that Kumar will be handed over to the CBI at airports or land ports if he tries to leave India. Kumar is facing CBI inquiry in Saradha chit fund scam. Kumar was removed as ADG CID of Bengal by the Election Commission after violence broke out during the roadshow of BJP president Amit Shah in Kolkata. He is currently serving as an officer of the ministry of home affairs in Delhi. 

It may be recalled that few days ago the SC had vacated its order granting protection from arrest to former Kolkata police commissioner in the Saradha chit fund scam case. The SC, however, ruled that its February 5 order granting interim protection to Kumar will continue for seven days from Friday. An SC bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi also allowed Kumar to seek bail from a competent court and directed the CBI to follow the law of land in this case.

On Thursday, the trouble increased for Kumar when the SC refused to set up special bench to hear former Kolkata Police Commissioner Rajeev Kumar's plea seeking an extension of the seven-day period granted by the court to Kumar to approach a court after his protection from arrest was vacated. The former Kolkata commissioner had approached the apex court seeking an extension of seven days protection from arrest given to him by the top court. In his petition before the SC, Kumar has cited strike of lawyers in West Bengal as the reason for the extension.

Kumar has been accused by the CBI of tampering with the evidence in Saradha scam in order to protect politicians. On February 5, the SC had also expressed concern over the manner in which the chit fund scam case has been handled. "We would withdraw the protection given to Mr. Rajeev Kumar, former Commissioner of Police, Kolkata, vide our order dated February 5, 2019 restraining the CBI from arresting him and thereby, leave it open to the CBI to act in accordance with the law," a SC bench comprising CJI Gogoi, Justice Deepak Gupta and Justice Sanjiv Khanna had said.