COIMBATORE: The special court for Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) cases in Coimbatore has issued a non-bailable warrant (NBW) against IPS officer Pramod Kumar in an extortion case pending against him since 2012, which is linked to the multi-crore Paazee forex scam. The court issued the NBW after Kumar failed to appear for a hearing on Wednesday.
According to sources, four other accused in the case, namely N Rajendran, who worked as deputy superintendent of police at Tiruppur, V Mohanraj who was inspector of CCB at Tiruppur, John Prabakar alias Annachi, a friend of the IPS officer from Mylapore; and N Senthil Kumar, a resident of Tirupur, appeared for the hearing on Wednesday.
Promod Kumar’s counsel sought one week time to appear, but the court declined the plea. Though the court allowed time till 3.30 pm. He did not appear, following which the NBW was issued. Pramod Kumar, who is now posted as IGP of Tamil Nadu Newsprint and Papers Limited, Karur, is charged with offences under Sections 120 B read with 347, 384, 506 (I), of the IPC and sections 8, 10, 13 (2) read with 13 (1)(d) of the Prevention of Corruption Act.
The court directed the Deputy IGP, CBI (EOW), Chennai, to arrest him and produce him before it. The court has posted to hear the case next on October 27. The case is linked to a case registered by Tiruppur CCB against Paazee Forex Trading India Private Limited in 2009 for having cheated depositors to the tune of Rs 930.71 crore.