The Supreme Court on Monday asked the CBI to file its counter-affidavit on former Calcutta police commissioner Rajeev Kumar’s claim that allegations of “destruction of evidence” in the Saradha scam were “mala fide” and part of a “larger conspiracy” hatched by former CBI director Nageswara Rao and BJP leaders Kailash Vijayvargiya and Mukul Roy.

A bench headed by Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi is expected to take up for hearing the matter on April 22.

The court was dealing with a contempt application filed by the CBI, alleging that Kumar who was part of the Special Investigation Team that had initially probed the Saradha scam was not co-operating with the central agency and tampered with call data records of several key suspects.

In the plea, the CBI said the alleged tampering with the call data was tantamount to destruction of evidence and contempt of the court’s order to get into the bottom of the case.

In his affidavit, Kumar had said Rao was harassing him as Bengal police under him was probing cases with regard to certain money laundering and shell companies in the aftermath of the demonetisation. Kumar had alleged that the role of Rao ’s wife and daughter had surfaced in the police probe.

Kumar’s affidavit also said: “…targeting the alleged contemnor (Kumar) seems to be borne out of a larger conspiracy between two senior leaders Mr. Mukul Roy and Mr. Kailash Vijayvargiya of the BJP..”