CBI gives clean chit to Gyanwant, nails Kumar

Express news service Posted: Feb 29, 2008 at 0249 hrs
Kolkata, February 28 The partial disclosure of the CBI report on Rizwanur Rehman’s death reveals that the agency has virtually given a clean chit to Gyanwant Singh, former DC (headquarters) of Kolkata police.

He will not face criminal proceedings, at best, disciplinary action may be taken against him.

In contrast, the agency has recommended criminal proceedings against Ajay Kumar, former DC, DD, charging him with criminal intimidation and abetment to suicide.

Singh denied comment on the matter.

After the hearing, Rizwanur Rehman’s brother Rukbanur Rehman said: “I cannot say how the CBI concluded that Singh was not involved.”

He and his mother Kishwar Jehan had accused Singh and Kumar of intervening in the lives of Rehman and Priyanka Todi, daughter of businessman Ashok Todi.

Singh — alongwith Kumar, Sukanti Chakraborty and Krishnendu Das — had threatened Rehman and asked him to leave Priyanka.

The Rehman family also alleged that the cops had put pressure on the couple in presence of Anil Sarogi and Pradip Todi. Priyanka had been forced by both Kumar and Singh to return home, they had said.

During the hearing, the counsel for Rizwanur’s family had alleged that it was cricketer Snehasish Ganguly who had introduced Pradip Todi to Prasun Mukherjee and asked Singh to look into the matter.

Singh had asked the couple to come to Lalbazar on August 31, 2007, and he, alongwith Kumar, had interrogated the couple.

During inquiry, the CBI interrogated the four top policemen and the Commissioner of Police in November.