No relief for Rajeev Kumar, SC Registry declines urgent listing of plea for extension of protection

Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi has rejected urgent listing of the application filed by former Kolkata Police Commissioner Rajeev Kumar seeking an extension of his protection from arrest..Upon mentioning the matter yesterday before the Vacation Bench of Justices Indira Banerjee and Sanjiv Khanna on Monday, Kumar was directed to approach the Registry for listing before an appropriate Bench..However, Kumar’s counsel were informed today morning that the request for urgent listing of the case has been rejected by CJI Gogoi, and that the matter will not be taken up this week..The Court’s order granting Kumar seven days’ time to seek legal remedy was passed by a three-Judge Bench comprising CJI Gogoi and Justices Deepak Gupta and Sanjiv Khanna. When an extension of the time was sought by Kumar on account of a lawyers’ strike in the State of West Bengal, he was directed to approach the Registry for listing the matter before an appropriate Bench..The seven-day period of protection granted to Kumar on May 17 expires on Friday..Rajeev Kumar is being represented by Advocates Astha Sharma and Sunil Fernandes..The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had sought permission from the Court to carry out custodial interrogation of Kumar in relation to the Saradha Chit Fund Scam. CBI had alleged Kumar’s involvement in tampering of evidence in the case and thus wanted to probe him..When the matter reached the Supreme Court, the Bench on February 5 had directed Kumar to make himself available to the CBI and co-operate with the probe. The Court had, however, ordered the CBI not to take any coercive steps against Kumar thereby granting him protection from arrest..Subsequently, the CBI had moved Supreme Court praying that the said protection be lifted. The same was allowed on May 17..Lawyers in West Bengal have been on a strike since April 25 after some police personnel “brutally tortured/assaulted” advocates, judicial officers, staff, and clerks of the Howrah Court..Bar & Bench is available on WhatsApp. For real-time updates on stories, click here to subscribe to our WhatsApp.