Viral audio gives new twist to Jharkhand High Court lawyer’s arrest controversy

The controversy over the arrest of Jharkhand High court lawyer Rajiv Kumar by the Kolkata police on Sunday on the charge of extorting money from Kolkata-based businessman Amit Agrawal has taken a new turn after an audio of the conversation became viral.

The audio is purported to be a telephonic conversation between Rajiv Kumar and the businessman. But its veracity and this audio are not confirmed and it is also not clear when this conversation was recorded.

In the audio, the businessman is heard stating that he is a businessman and everything is lost in the business once the reputation is lost. On this another voice said to be Rajiv Kumar is heard stating that he would inform. This businessman is heard requesting that Rajiv Kumar should tell his people to have a meeting with him.

“I have already held a meeting with you and you don’t have any issue. I have come forward to talk to you. We should sit together and end this matter. If you prefer Ranchi otherwise Kolkata. 10 is too much,” the said businessman is heard speaking.

The person purported to be Rajiv Kumar replies that he would not say anything in this matter. “Do that much when I come. There is no doubt that the problem is too much because the speed things are moving, I will have to make a lot of things,” the voice purported to be Rajiv Kumar is heard stating.

This audio is used as a proof that Rajiv Kumar was demanding Rs 10 Crore from Amit Agrawal to manage an ongoing PIL against him at Jharkhand High Court. Rajiv Kumar is the lawyer of Shiv Shankar Sharma who filed two PILs related to a mining lease and allegations of shell companies and money laundering against Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren and his associates.