The Supreme Court told CBI on Wednesday that it would examine whether there was evidence requiring former Kolkata Police Commissioner Rajeev Kumar's custodial interrogation by the agency in connection with the Saradha chit fund scam.
A bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi made this observation after perusing the case diary placed before it by the CBI, which sought Kumar's custodial interrogation claiming that there was prima facie evidence that he had tried to destroy or tamper with evidence and "shield high and mighty" in the case.
Kumar's counsel countered the CBI submissions and said the agency's move to seek custodial interrogation of the IPS officer was nothing but a "political game".
Kumar was earlier heading the West Bengal Police's special investigation team (SIT) probing the chit fund scam. The apex court had in May 2014 directed the CBI to investigate the case.
During Wednesday's hearing on the CBI application, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the agency, referred to statement of an investigating officer of the SIT which was recorded by the CBI during the probe.
"We have read the statement. It is a matter of investigation. We are required to see if there is any material which can show that the commissioner of police (Kumar) is required to be interrogated in custody," said the bench, which also comprised Justices Deepak Gupta and Sanjiv Khanna.
Mehta argued that there was "prima facie evidence" that Kumar had destroyed or tempered with evidence and he had tried to shield some main accused in the case.