Saradha Chit Fund Scam: SC to hear on Oct 17 CBI's plea against anticipatory bail granted to WB DGP Rajeev Kumar

The Supreme Court will hear on Friday, October 17, the SLP filed by Central Bureau of Investigation challenging the anticipatory bail granted to West Bengal Director General of Police Rajeev Kumar in the Saradha chit fund case.

A bench of CJI BR Gavai and Justice Vinod Chandran was told today by Solicitor General Tushar Mehta that a contempt petition was also filed against Kumar which could be taken up along with the SLP.

The senior counsel appearing for Kumar, told the bench that his client was being harassed as nothing had happened in the past 6 years since 2019, when the anticipatory bail was granted. Court was further told that Kumar had not been summoned even once since then.

Notably, the supreme court bench of then Chief Justice, Justice BR Gavai and Justice Surya Kant had in November 2019 issued notice on the SLP filed by CBI.

In August last year, calling for a change in the police in charge to lead the investigation in the RG Kar medical college rape case, Solicitor General of India Tushar Mehta had pointed out before the Supreme Court that the current Director General of Police in Kolkata is an accused in the Saradha Chit fund scam.

SG Mehta also pointed out that Kumar, who is currently the Director General of Police is already under scrutiny for tampering with evidence in the Saradha chit fund scam. “Any officer tainted with charges before this court should be replaced. He shouldn’t be allowed to continue and should be replaced. Why is the state not doing that,” he had said.

Rajeev Kumar is currently serving as the Director General of West Bengal Police and he is in the incharge in the ongoing investigation of the brutal rape and murder case. Kumar previously held the position of Director General from December 2023 until his removal by the Election Commission of India in March 2024. Before his return to the police force, Kumar served as the Additional Chief Secretary for Information Technology with the West Bengal Government from 2023.

Since joining the IPS in 1989 with the Uttar Pradesh cadre, Kumar has held several key positions, including Bidhannagar Police Commissioner and Director of the Special Task Force (STF) within the Kolkata Police.

The scheme, Saradha Group which was a consortium of over 200 private companies, was launched in the early 2000s by Sudipto Sen. Targeting small investors with promises of high returns, the scheme quickly gained popularity and collected money through a wide network of agents. Said scheme was a classic example of a Ponzi scheme. The group raised around Rs 2,500 crore by using celebrity endorsements and sponsoring events like Durga Pujas.

In 2019, Rajeev Kumar faced severe accusations from the CBI for tampering with evidence in the Saradha chit fund scam. The scam affected around 1.8 million depositors across West Bengal, Assam, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, and Odisha. Trinamool Congress (TMC) had alleged connections with the scam, with several TMC MLAs, MPs, and ministers questioned by the CBI.

It is alleged that recovery of documents and ocular evidence of witnesses in the investigation “clearly pointed towards his role in shielding the accused persons”. The CBI has pointed out CDR, Statements recorded by the Enforcement Directorate regarding Ledgers, earmarking Kumar’s alleged involvement. It is further alleged that in the chit fund scam, Kumar was involved in the suppression of FIR vis-à-vis the Rose Valley Group, one of the ponzi companies which illegally collected money from common citizens with false promises of very high returns.

The officer has also been accused of deliberate concealment and non-cooperation with respect to call data Records of the prime accused persons in the scam. It is alleged that Kumar is involved in a larger conspiracy with respect to the chit fund scam, in which the he played an active role by shielding many persons who were prominently connected to political or other entities. The West Bengal government formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate the case, led by Rajeev Kumar, who was then the Kolkata Police Commissioner.

In 2014, the Supreme Court had transferred the case to the CBI. CBI alleged that Kumar had ''destroyed, destructed and tampered with evidence'' while leading the SIT, including erasing call records to protect certain individuals. The agency claimed that Kumar withheld crucial documents and also attempted to assist the prime accused and other suspects. When Kumar ignored repeated summons, 40 CBI officers attempted to enter his official residence in Kolkata on the evening of February 3, 2019, to question him.

Case Title: CENTRAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION vs. RAJEEV KUMAR

Bench: CJI Gavai and Justice Chandran

Hearing Date: October 13, 2025