SC rejects bail plea of former ED official Manoj Kumar

The Supreme Court on Thursday rejected the anticipatory bail plea of the former assistant director of Enforcement Directorate Manoj Kumar in connection with the extortion case that was lodged against him by a Chartered Accountant with Shakespeare Sarani police station.

He had moved the Apex Court after his plea was rejected by Calcutta High Court.

The Apex Court directed the former ED official to turn up at Shakespeare Sarani police station within a week.

Incidentally, the Kolkata Police on Thursday issued a notice to Kumar summoning him to Shakespeare Sarani police station on Friday itself.

With Kumar's plea getting rejected, he would get arrested if he doesn't follow the orders and appear before the police within a week.

The state's counsel submitted before the court on Thursday stating that Kumar had not been cooperating with the police.

The cops have initiated a probe on the basis of a complaint lodged by Kamal Somani, a CA, alleging that one Pradip Hirawat, a businessman by profession, started calling him for extortion and took money by taking the name of Manoj Kumar.

It happened after a team led by Manoj conducted a raid in his office on May 12, 2016. Subsequently, Hirawat has already been arrested on March 1 in this connection and the police have initiated a case under sections of Prevention of Corruption Act against Manoj.

Kumar's counsel submitted before the court pleading for a week's time to be present before the police and the plea has been granted.

It may be recalled that on Monday Manoj has been interrogated by the police in Shakespeare Sarani police station. He was in the police station for around six long hours from 2.30 pm.

A team comprising police officers from anti-bank fraud section of the city police's detective department went to the police station and they had questioned Manoj along with some police officers from the police station. But the key officers dealing with the case were off to Delhi for hearing in this connection.

Thus, all the concerned officers will be present in the police station on Friday and will be questioning Manoj to verify their findings in connection with the extortion case.