Kolkata: Amid security concerns following a showdown between CBI officers and police, the Centre has deployed a large contingent of the paramilitary force at all offices of the investigating agencies and residences of staff in the city.
Paramilitary forces were deployed after CBI Joint Director Pankaj Srivastav alleged that his life was under threat as Kolkata police officers surrounded his house and "banged on doors".
"My family is scared. They are fear for my security. I think the state police will break down the door any moment and arrest me,” Srivastav had said on Sunday.
CBI offices at Nizam Palace in South Kolkata and CGO Complex at Salt Lake turned into fortresses on Monday as heavily armed CRPF jawans took charge of security. No one was allowed to enter the premises without multiple verifications and checks. This is for the first time that a sizable security force has been deployed at CBI offices in the city.
Kolkata Police have also deployed forces at the official residences and police stations in the vicinity of Commissioner of Police Rajeev Kumar’s residence. Sounding the alarm for a possible crisis, the State Armed Police has been kept on standby and leave requests by all key officers have been cancelled.
CBI has taken these security measures following a high-voltage standoff with the Kolkata Police over examining Kumar in the name of a ‘secret operation’.
The Trinamool Congress is set to hold a series of protests against the Narendra Modi-led central government and the CBI on Monday.
It was learnt that Rajeev Kumar will hold a high-level meeting with all the divisional DCs and top officers at Lalbazar Police headquarters. All the files related to cases against the BJP leaders were asked by the Commissioner’s office.
On Sunday, a team of 40 CBI officers went to the city police chief's residence to question him in Saradha and Rose Valley Ponzi scam. Following this build up, Kolkata Police officers rushed to the spot to speak to the CBI officials and enquired if they had the documents required for questioning Kumar.
A small team of CBI officials was taken to Shakespeare Sarani police station for further discussions. Thereafter, more men arrived at the spot and a commotion ensued. Some CBI officers were then forcibly bundled into police jeeps and taken to the police station. They were released later.
Interim CBI Chief M Nageshwar Rao claims that Kumar destroyed evidence in the chit fund scams.
Praveen Tripathi, Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime), Kolkata Police, in a statement said that the CBI officers who reached Kumar’s house were not carrying any mandatory documents. They called it a ‘secret operation.'
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