Even as the IPS officer accused by the West Bengal government of exceeding his brief by arresting a District Magistrate on charges of graft remained defiant on his stand here on Monday, both the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and the Congress demanded a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into the alleged scam involving the Siliguri Jalpaiguri Development Authority (SJDA).
“I have no regret or remorse,” former Commissioner, Siliguri Police Commissionerate, K. Jayaraman told journalists after meeting State Director General of Police G.M.P. Reddy at the State Secretariat in Howrah.
“I am in compulsory waiting now, but I will stay in the Bengal cadre and will also come to Nabanna [the State Secretariat]. Whatever I had to say, I have told the DGP. I will not go on leave,” the IPS officer said, adding that he was waiting for his next posting.
Hours after he arrested Malda DM G. Kiran Kumar who had served as chief executive officer of the SJDA, Mr. Jayaraman was asked to hand over charge and was put on compulsory waiting on November 30.
Commenting on the development, senior leader of the CPI(M) and former Minister for North Bengal Development Ashok Bhattacharya told journalists in Siliguri that after Mr. Jayaraman’s removal, people were unable to keep faith on the police investigations and a probe by the CBI was necessary.
Accusing the Trinamool Congress of suppressing facts, Mr. Bhattacharya said a public interest litigation would be filed before the Calcutta High Court soon.
