West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee went on an indefinite sit-in in front of a Police station in Kolkata, in a stand-off between CBI and Kolkata Police.
With Supreme Court's intervention, the stand-off has come to a halt but only leaving way for other institutional concerns.
What is the case about?
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) was tasked to question Kolkata Police Commissioner Rajeev Kumar.
It is aimed at locating crucial evidence in connection with the Saradha scam and Rose Valley scam in West Bengal.
The evidence was collected by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) that was formed by the West Bengal government in 2013 to investigate the chit fund cases.
Mr. Kumar was the ‘functional head’ of the Special Investigation Team (SIT).
But the case was transferred to the CBI in 2014 on the Supreme Court’s orders.
CBI sources claimed that the evidence held the key to connecting the scams to influential persons in West Bengal and outside.
CBI sources claimed they have been trying to question Kumar for the last few years, but there was no response.
What is the recent tussle?
The CBI officials tried to enter Kolkata Police Commissioner Rajeev Kumar’s residence.
[With a notable track record in service, especially in crushing Maoists in Jangalmahal, Mr.Kumar had earned credits from Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.[
Ms. Mamata soon remarked that the central government was using the CBI as a political tool.
She eventually staged a dhrana, reportedly, to save democracy and federal forces.
Moreover, the CBI officers were illegally confined in a police station for hours.
She ended her nearly 48-hour dharna soon after the Supreme Court order came in regards with the issue.
What has the Supreme Court ruled now?
The Supreme Court ordered Kolkata Police Commissioner Rajeev Kumar to make himself available to the CBI for questioning.
The court, however, barred the CBI from taking any coercive steps, including arrest, against Mr. Kumar.
The court went further and scheduled the meeting between Mr. Kumar and the CBI at ‘neutral’ Shillong in Meghalaya and not anywhere in West Bengal.
The court, however, issued notice on a contempt petition filed by the CBI against the Chief Secretary and the DGP of the state and Mr. Kumar, asking them to file their replies.
The Supreme Court's is certainly an even-handed intervention in the stand-off between the Central and West Bengal governments.
Nevertheless, the whole episode has raised concerns on the jurisdictions and power of the CBI and the state police.
