SC dismisses CBI plea to cancel Rajeev Kumar’s anticipatory bail in Saradha scam case

West Bengal Police Director General Rajeev Kumar received major relief from the Supreme Court on Friday after the court dismissed the Central Bureau of Investigation’s (CBI) plea seeking cancellation of his anticipatory bail in the Saradha chit fund scam case. The bench, led by the Chief Justice, questioned why the matter was being raised again after six years and said the issue had “lost relevance.”

The court noted that the CBI’s petition lacked substantial grounds and appeared to have been filed merely to “shock or harass.” With this decision, Rajeev Kumar will continue to remain protected from arrest, though the contempt of court case against him remains pending. The bench clarified that the hearing on the contempt matter will take place in eight weeks, and the court will decide the future of his anticipatory bail accordingly.

The CBI had accused Rajeev Kumar of concealing crucial documents and not cooperating with the investigation into the multi-crore Saradha scam. It further alleged that when CBI officers, including female officials, visited Kumar’s residence, they faced misconduct and obstruction, prompting the agency to file a contempt petition.

Defending Kumar, his counsel Biswajit Dey argued that the CBI’s plea was baseless and that the Supreme Court had already granted anticipatory bail earlier, making any such request redundant.