Kolkata, February 3: Hours after five Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) officials were detained by Kolkata Police outside the residence of Kolkata Police Commissioner Rajeev Kumar, Chief Minister of West Bengal Mamata Banerjee attacked the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and said it is torturing the state and trying to destroy it. The Chief Minister said she will stage a dharna at Metro Channel in Kolkata from Sunday to save the federal structure. "I am going to stage a dharna to save the federal structure. From today I'm going to sit near the Metro Channel. Tomorrow proceedings in state assembly will take place where I will hold a meeting. This dharna means satyagraha", Mamata said.

The Chief Minister accused the BJP of playing political vendetta and sprung to the defence of Kolkata police commissioner Rajeev Kumar saying he is the best in the world. “The Kolkata Police Commissioner is among the best in the world. His integrity, bravery and honesty are unquestioned. He is working 24x7, and was on leave for only one day recently. When you spread lies, the lies will always remain lies,” Banerjee tweeted.

Banerjee took a dig at BJP and said it is forcibly trying to destroy Bengal just because she did brigade rally. "Yesterday you saw the language of PM where he threatened", she added. CBI Vs Kolkata Police: West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee Backs Commissioner Rajiv Kumar, Accuses BJP of Torturing WB.

The CBI officials were detained and stopped from entering the residence of Kolkata Police Commissioner Rajeev Kumar on Sunday when they had gone to question him in connection with chit fund scam cases. On this, Banerjee said, "I am proud to say that my responsibility is to give protection to the force. Without notice, you are coming to Kolkata Police Commissioner's house. We could have arrested CBI but we left". "I will stand with my force. I respect them. I felt very sad today. This is the destruction of the federal structure", she added.

The high drama in Kolkata broke out a day after Rishi Kumar Shukla was appointed as the new director of CBI. According to reports, the CBI alleged that they were 'assaulted' and forced to go out from Rajeev Kumar's residence. In the wake of the incident, interim CBI chief M Nageshwar Rao said the team is contacting the senior law officers about the Kolkata incident and whatever they suggest will be followed.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 03, 2019 08:53 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).