India

Mamata versus BJP: As sit-in continues, top court fixes hearing for Tuesday, Omar, Mehbooba tweet support

A team of Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) officials on Sunday who had arrived at Kolkata Police Commissioner’s residence, Rajeev Kumar to investigate him regarding the chit fund case, were denied permission and were briefly detained by the police.

Interim CBI chief M Nageshwar Rao told ANI there was evidence against Kumar.

Following the news, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, alleging a coup against her government, started an indefinite dharna. During her address toward the reporters, she criticized Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah, stating that there was a constitutional breakdown occurring under Modi’s rule.

“PM Modi is destroying institutions in the country. How can CBI officials come to Kolkata police chief’s residence without a warrant? I am proud of my police force. Kolkata police chief is among the best, ” she said and added that she would continue with the dharna today.

Meanwhile, on Monday, quoting MHA sources, Indian Express reported that Home Minister of India Rajnath Singh called the Governor of West Bengal Shri Keshari Nath Tripathi to be informed of the facts of the unprecedented situation of officers of a Central Investigating Agency being allegedly manhandled, detained, intimidated and obstructed.

The Governor informed Rajnath that he had summoned Chief Secretary and Director General of Police and asked them to take immediate action to resolve the situation.

The Government of India today had moved the Supreme Court of India seeking directions to the state government to cooperate with the investigation in chit fund cases and make available the police commissioner Rajeev Kumar for probe.

Solicitor General of India Tushar Mehta representing CBI stated before a bench comprising of CJI Ranjan Gogoi and Justice Sanjiv Khanna that an “extraordinary situation” has arisen in West Bengal and an urgent hearing was sought today afternoon.

The top court fixed Tuesday morning to hear GoI’s plea. Mehta said it’s “unusual” that “personnel of uniformed services are on dharma with political party” and sought the court’s immediate intervention to stop it.

“Our team was arrested and kept in alleged custody. Kolkata Police Commissioner should immediately surrender,” he said. He added that Kumar may try to destroy electronic evidence.

The court stated that if CBI could produce evidence that would verify the same, they would come down heavily on the Police Commissioner.

Following the unprecedented news, National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah said: Her (Mamata Banerjee) allegation is right. This country is in danger as its becoming dictatorial. They (GoI) are not masters of this country, people are.

Vice President of National Conference, Omar Abdullah tweeted out his support and stated that using CBI as ‘a political tool’ had ‘crossed all limits’, including the current regime’s ‘misuse of institutions’.

Peoples Democratic Party President Mehbooba Mufti, also tweeted ‘in solidarity’ with Mamata Banerjee, stating how disheartening it was ‘to see how institutions are being hijacked only to discredit political opponents’.

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