Ranchi: The Jharkhand High Court on Thursday stayed all further proceedings, including the investigation, in two FIRs lodged in connection with a road mishap in Doranda involving senior advocate Manoj Tandon. The court further directed that no coercive actions be taken against him until the next scheduled hearing.
The matter was heard by Justice Sanjay Kumar Dwivedi, who also instructed the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Ranchi, to personally review the situation and ensure the safety of the petitioner. The case is now listed for its next hearing on March 24, 2026.
Background of the Incident
According to the petition, the incident occurred on February 17, 2026, when Tandon’s car was involved in a minor collision with a motorcycle while he was commuting to the High Court. Tandon’s counsel submitted that following the accident, the advocate was detained at the Doranda Police Station for several hours. The defence argued that procedural safeguards mandated under the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) were ignored.
Two separate cases—Doranda P.S. Case Nos. 51 and 52 of 2026 were registered under various sections of the IPC.
Allegations of Bias and Procedural Lapses
The petitioner has moved the court to transfer the investigation to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), citing the following concerns:
- Multiple FIRs: Two separate FIRs were registered for the same occurrence, handled by different investigating officers, which the petitioner alleges indicates bias.
- Lack of Safety: Concerns were raised regarding public intimidation and inflammatory social media posts linked to the motorcyclist involved in the collision.
- Procedural Violations: Claims that the police failed to follow established arrest and detention protocols.
Court’s Observation
While acknowledging Supreme Court precedents that state that investigations should generally not be stayed at the initial stage, Justice Dwivedi noted the “peculiar facts” presented in this specific case. Consequently, the Court granted interim relief, stayed the proceedings in both FIRs, and sought formal responses from the State Government, the Union of India, and the CBI.
