Jharkhand HC says 'can't be mute spectator' to developments involving raid in Ranchi ED office

Ranchi, Jan 16 (PTI) The Jharkhand High Court on Friday said it cannot remain a "mute spectator" to developments involving a police raid at the Ranchi ED office and stayed the police investigation against the central agency's officers.

Justice Sanjay Kumar Dwivedi, while hearing a writ petition filed by the Enforcement Directorate, directed the central agency to make the Union home secretary a party to the case.

The court ordered the Union home secretary to depute CRPF/BSF or any other paramilitary force to provide security to the ED office and its officers.

The high court also stayed police investigation against ED officers on the basis of an FIR registered at the Airport police station by a former state government employee, Santosh Kumar.

"The high courts are generally slow in granting interim protection at the initial stage of an FIR. However, in cases like the present one brought before this court, it cannot remain a mute spectator. However, all findings can be given only after the other side has responded to the petition," the court observed.

Justice Dwivedi also directed Ranchi Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Rakesh Ranjan to ensure proper security of the ED office.

The court observed that if there is any lapse in the security of the ED office and its officers, the SSP Ranchi will directly be held responsible for that.

The HC also ordered the petitioner to make Santosh Kumar a party in the case.

Arguing on behalf of the ED, advocates AK Das and Saurabh Kumar informed that the agency was investigating a scam involving Kumar, running into Rs 23 crore in the drinking water and sanitation department. The ED has also recovered Rs 9 crore from Kumar.

The ED is at present investigating cases involving the chief minister, ministers, senior bureaucrats, IPS officers in the government, the counsels said.

Santosh had come to the office of the ED on January 12 at 1:20 pm.

He later went and registered the FIR with the Airport police station stating that he has been tortured and assaulted in the ED office by its officials.

Police on January 15 conducted a raid in the ED office at 6 am.

Police action was reported to the authorities and the writ petition was filed before the HC.

In course of arguments, the court was informed that Kumar was never summoned or called by the ED office and he had come on his own on January 12.

This however, has been refuted by Kumar.

The case will again be heard on February 9.

The ED on Thursday moved the high court seeking a CBI probe into the raid conducted by the state police on its premises, alleging "direct interference" in the functioning of the central agency.

Police personnel had visited the ED office on Thursday and collected CCTV footage after Kumar, a former drinking water and sanitation department employee, lodged a complaint on January 12 alleging that he was "thrashed" by ED officials during interrogation in connection with an alleged water supply scam.

The development has triggered a war of words between the opposition BJP and the ruling JMM over the authority of the police force.

Leader of the Opposition in State Assembly, Babulal Marandi posted on X: "Today, the Hon'ble Jharkhand High Court, while staying the action being taken by @ranchipolice against the ED, has directed that the security of the ED's Regional Office be handed over to Central Security Forces. The Hon'ble Court's order is a stinging slap on the face of the Hemant government that is trying to influence the actions of investigating agencies." He added: "@HemantSorenJMM ji, no matter how much you try to intimidate and threaten investigating agencies with the help of police, action against corruption will not stop. The person who got false and fabricated allegations leveled against the ED, the one who got the script prepared, your close aide Mithilesh Thakur and other scamsters, along with your entire family involved in this scam and conspiracy, will not be able to escape the grip of the law. Everyone's jail term is certain. Just wait for the time." Rejecting the allegations, JMM central spokesperson Supriyo Bhattacharya said police were only performing their duty and demanded that a case be registered against Marandi for "provoking a clash between the central and state forces".

The Congress, a constituent of the ruling coalition, alleged that the BJP was blowing the matter out of proportion, as police had to investigate at the place of occurrence.

In January 2024, Soren had lodged a police complaint against senior ED personnel at the SC/ST police station here over searches conducted by the agency at his Delhi residence in a money laundering case linked to an alleged land scam.

Soren claimed that the ED conducted the searches to "harass and malign him and his entire community", according to the FIR.

The CM was questioned by the ED as part of an investigation into a "huge racket of illegal change of land ownership by the mafia" in Jharkhand.

The ED later prayed for a CBI probe before the Jharkhand High Court into allegations levelled by Soren that a section of its officers violated provisions of the SC/ST Act.

"My family members and I have suffered and experienced immense mental, psychological and emotional harm because of the acts committed...," Soren stated in the FIR. The matter is pending before court. PTI CORR NAM BDC MNB