The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) today strongly refuted allegations levelled by Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal’s ex-principal secretary, Rajendra Kumar, that he was humiliated in the custody and was pressurized to implicate the AAP chief for alleged wrongdoings he is accused of.
In a statement issued today, CBI said that making such baseless allegations after the filing of charge sheet is only an attempt to influence the matter which is sub-judice.
“The allegation of Rajender Kumar, which has incidentally come up after filing of the charge sheet, that witnesses/accused in this case were threatened by CBI officers to implicate a political functionary, is absolutely baseless and denied,” the statement read.
“Some accused who were arrested during the course of investigation had the opportunity to bring the alleged physical assault by the CBI when they were produced before the court. But no such allegation was made at the relevant time, except one person, who also filed a writ petition in the Delhi High Court, but had to withdraw the same after the court observed that he is trying to spoil the system and scaring away the probe agency which was widely reported in the media on May 3, 2016,” the statement added.
The CBI’s reaction came after Kumar sought voluntary retirement alleging that he was repeatedly told by CBI interrogators to implicate CM Kejriwal.
In his letter to Delhi Chief Secretary, the 1989-batch IAS officer of Arunachal Pradesh-Goa-Mizoram and Union Territory cadre, said, "I was repeatedly told that I would be let free if I implicate Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal."
The CBI said that the allegations of Kumar helping M/s Endeavour System Pvt Ltd (ESPL) in getting IT related contracts from various Delhi Government Departments, wherever he was posted, were in public domain since June, 2015 and were made by then Secretary, Delhi Dialogue Commission.
The CBI said that it registered the case in December, 2015 against Kumar and others under Prevention of Corruption Act, after due diligence.
"After investigating the case thoroughly for over a year, filed charge sheet against him and others in the court of Special Judge, Patiala House Court on 03.12.2016. All the evidence gathered during the course of investigation against Rajendra Kumar and others have been put before the court," the premier probe agency said.
Kumar was accused of abusing his official position in awarding Delhi government contracts worth Rs 9.5 crore to private firms during 2007-2014 when the Congress ruled Delhi.
