New Delhi: Newly appointed Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) chief Rishi Kumar Shukla took charge of the probe agency from Monday, according to officials.
Shukla, a 1983-batch IPS officer, has taken charge at a time when the agency is in a turf war with the Kolkata police, which has spiralled into a political slugfest between the Central government and the West Bengal government.
Shukla took charge as director of the CBI this morning, CBI spokesperson Nitin Wakankar said.
It remains to be seen whether Shukla’s arrival will bring order in the agency, which has moved the Supreme Court to challenge the West Bengal government’s action in ponzi scam cases.
Interim CBI chief M. Nageswara Rao was seen scrambling for resources to counter the state police’s action, which not only detained a CBI team questioning Kolkata police commissioner Rajeev Kumar but also cordoned off the agency’s office at CGO complex in Salt Lake City.
Chief minister Mamata Banerjee had started a dharna on Sunday evening, protesting against the alleged highhandedness of the Centre. According to her, the Modi-Shah duo was attempting a coup in the state.
Banerjee’s reaction was triggered when a team of CBI officials arrived unannounced at the doors of the Kolkata police chief, to question him in connection with the Saradha and Rose Valley scams.
The investigation in these cases has been sped up in the run-up to general elections, with the agency recently questioning a close aide of Banerjee at his residence.
The team was stopped by a West Bengal police personnel and were later bundled into a police vehicle and taken to a police station.
According to the state police officials, the West Bengal police took the action as the agency officials failed to produce a warrant.