In a counter offensive of sorts against Sunday’s CBI action outside the residence of Kolkata Police Commissioner Rajiv Kumar, the Kolkata Police on Monday issued summons to CBI Joint Director Pankaj Srivastava for appearing as a witness in a case of fraud worth Rs 45 lakh, sources said.
While acknowledging the receipt of the notice, the CBI Joint Director said he would consider legal action only after taking legal advice. Soon after getting the notice, Srivastava left for Delhi by an evening flight.
According to CBI sources two sub-inspectors from Bhawanipore Police Station carried a notice of appearance to State CBI headquarters at Nizam Palace. “The notice is for the Joint Director summoning him as witness in a fraud case,” sources said.
The incident took place in tandem with a large posse of central police force being deployed both inside Nizam Palace and inside the CGO complex about 20 km away at Salt Lake with State police personnel literally keeping these two central installations surrounded from all sides.
“The situation looks as if the two State forces are staring at each other,” a Central Government official who works at the Nizam Palace office said.
Meanwhile, the State Government on Monday petitioned the Calcutta High Court against the CBI’s “arbitrary action” defying the same Court’s order which had earlier issued a stay on its action till February 13. The matter was likely to be heard on Tuesday.