KOLKATA: The West Bengal CID issued an arrest warrant against former West Midnapore district police chief Bharati Ghosh on the charges of alleged extortion and criminal conspiracy, a senior CID official said.
"An arrest warrant has been issued against Ghosh and her former security personnel Sujit Mondal in relation to cases of extortion and criminal conspiracy," the officer said.
The investigating agency earlier said teams have been sent outside the state to conduct search operations and catch the persons accused in the case of extortions.
The CID has already arrested two police officers - Inspector Subhankar De and Sub Inspector Chitta Pal- apparently close to Ghosh, for their alleged involvement in an extortion case in West Midnapore district's Daspur.
The two officers were posted as the circle inspector and officer in charge of the West Midnapore's Ghatal when the case of extortion took place.
The sleuths have also conducted searches in the residences of a number of police officers in the state including former IPS officer Ghosh and her close relatives and seized large amount of cash, gold and important government documents.
The raid by CID was carried out following a court order, after a case of extortion and criminal conspiracy was lodged in Daspur on February 1 by a gold trader named Chandan Majhi, who complained against some police officers in the district thought to be close to former SP Ghosh.
Ghosh, once a favourite of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, reportedly fell from grace and sought voluntary retirement in December last year after being transferred to a less significant post as commandant of the State Armed Police's Third Battalion. Her request was accepted.