Ranchi: The ongoing legal battle between the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the Jharkhand Police has moved to the Supreme Court. The state government filed a petition on Tuesday challenging the Jharkhand High Court’s order to hand over an investigation against ED officials to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
Background of the Jurisdictional Conflict
The state government contests the March 11 order issued by Justice Sanjay Kumar Dwivedi. The High Court had transferred an FIR—originally lodged at Ranchi’s Airport Police Station—to the CBI for an independent investigation. The Supreme Court has not yet listed the matter for hearing.
The core of the dispute involves several key events:
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The Allegation: Santosh Kumar, an accused in a money laundering case and employee of the Drinking Water and Sanitation Department, claimed ED officials physically assaulted and mentally harassed him during questioning on January 12.
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The “Raid”: Following the complaint, Ranchi Police registered an FIR and conducted an operation at the ED office. The central agency described this action as a “raid” and characterized it as malicious overreach.
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High Court Intervention: The ED moved the High Court seeking relief. The court subsequently stayed the police investigation and handed over the security of the ED office to paramilitary forces before ordering the CBI probe.
A Major Legal Battle
During the High Court proceedings, the ED argued that the FIR against its officials was baseless. The agency successfully advocated for a CBI probe to ensure impartiality, a position the High Court eventually favored.
With the state government now challenging that decision, the Supreme Court must navigate the sensitive jurisdictional boundaries and investigative authority between state police and central agencies.
