CBI vs Mamata Banerjee: Live Updates from the Supreme Court

The Supreme Court is hearing the applications filed in the wake of the tussle between the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the West Bengal government led by Mamata Banerjee..The Court was moved on Monday after a team of CBI officers was detained and subsequently released by the Kolkata Police on Sunday. The CBI team had sought to question Commissioner of Kolkata Police Rajeev Kumar, who was investigating the scam..The CBI sought to question Kumar without prior permission from the state government helmed by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. The state claimed that prior permission needed to be sought since it had withdrawn its ‘general consent’ to the CBI to investigate any cases in the state in November 2018..Two applications were filed by the CBI before the Supreme Court – one seeking a direction to the State of West Bengal to cooperate in the probe pursuant to the Supreme Court’s orders passed in the Saradha Chit fund case, and another seeking contempt action against the state authorities..The CBI had claimed that Kumar was involved in the destruction of electronic evidence in the Saradha case. Yesterday, Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi had directed the CBI to place any proof of this claim within 24 hours..Hearing in this matter is underway before a Bench of CJI Gogoi with Justices Deepak Gupta and Sanjiv Khanna..Live Updates follow:.Attorney General KK Venugopal commences submissions, citing 2014 judgment of Supreme Court to transfer probe into Saradha Chit Fund case to CBI.The material handed over to us was not the entire material, KK Venugopal.We had serious doubts over the documents which were handed over to us, KK Venugopal.Call data records which were given to us were incomplete.“Mr. Attorney General, we were going through your prayers. It might not be difficult to make Rajeev Kumar available. But contempt we cannot decide now”, remarks CJI Ranjan Gogoi.To decide contempt, we will have to issue notice and hear the other party, CJI Ranjan Gogoi.There is a serious breakdown of law and order. Can State police confront Centre’s police which is acting pursuant to orders of this court? Your Lordships have to issue notice for contempt and also lay down law in this regard, AG KK Venugopal.Sr. Adv. Abhishek Manu Singhvi appearing for West Bengal. The whole episode is an attempt to harass and humiliate, submits SinghviSr. Adv. Singhvi citing communications to submit there is no non-cooperation from State of West BengalIf they have a problem, they should go to Calcutta High Court, submits SinghviThe CBI officers were neither arrested nor detained, I have video of the episode, submits SinghviSupreme Court orders Rajeev Kumar to appear before CBI and co-operate with the probe at all times. Notice issued to State and Police in contempt of court application.Supreme Court also says no coercive steps including arrest against Rajeev Kumar. Questioning should be done at a neutral place..Read the order below.