Kolkata: Former cricketer and Trinamool Congress Lok Sabha MP Kirti Azad Tuesday appeared before the West Bengal Criminal Investigation Department (CID) headquarters in Kolkata for questioning in connection with an extortion case registered against him.
Azad, a member of the Indian team that won the Cricket World Cup in 1983, and now the MP from Bardhaman-Durgapur, arrived at the CID headquarters at Bhabani Bhavan in south Kolkata armed with interim protection from coercive action, including arrest, granted by the Calcutta High Court September 15.
The relief was provided by Justice Kaushik Chanda while directing the MP to cooperate fully with the ongoing investigation. Azad has been granted protection from arrest for six months.
The court had also instructed the CID to serve a notice at least seven days in advance before summoning Azad for interrogation. Following the court’s directive, the CID informed the bench that Azad would be required to appear before investigators September 22.
The case stems from allegations by a businessman who claimed that he was summoned to Azad’s bungalow in Durgapur May 21 last year, where an associate of the MP allegedly demanded Rs 15 lakh. The complainant alleged that he was threatened with the closure of his cooking gas business if he failed to pay the amount and claimed to possess an audio recording of the incident.
Based on the complaint, an FIR was registered against Azad and several associates. The Trinamool Congress leader has denied the allegations, describing them as part of a conspiracy to tarnish his image. He has maintained that he was not in Durgapur on the day of the alleged incident and submitted flight travel records before the court in support of his claim.
Azad has also moved the Calcutta High Court seeking quashing of the FIR.