Ranchi: The Jharkhand High Court on Friday stayed with immediate effect the Ranchi Police investigation into the alleged assault on money-laundering accused Santosh Kumar at the Ranchi office of the Enforcement Directorate (ED).
The interim order was passed by a Bench of Justice Sanjay Kumar Dwivedi while hearing a criminal writ petition filed by the ED challenging the FIR and subsequent police action against its officials.
Court Says Federal Agency’s Functioning Cannot Be Obstructed
During the hearing, the High Court observed that the functioning of a federal investigating agency cannot be obstructed under the pretext of a police investigation. The Bench noted that the ongoing action by the Ranchi Police against ED officials, in the prevailing circumstances, could adversely affect the functioning of the central agency.
Taking these observations into account, the court placed an interim stay on the police probe with immediate effect.
Jharkhand Govt Asked to Respond in Seven Days
The court directed the Jharkhand government to file its response within seven days, while the complainant, Santosh Kumar, has been asked to submit his reply within ten days. The matter has been listed for further hearing on February 9.
ED Office Security to Be Handed Over to Central Forces
In its order, the High Court also directed that the security of the ED office in Ranchi be handed over to the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), Border Security Force (BSF), or any other central paramilitary force.
The Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Ranchi, has been instructed to ensure adequate security at the ED office until the handover is completed.
Relief for ED Officials Named in FIR
The order has brought relief to the two ED officials against whom an FIR was registered at the Ranchi Airport Police Station on January 12. The court further directed the ED to preserve all CCTV footage related to the incident at its Ranchi office.
ED Had Alleged ‘Raid-like’ Action by State Police
Earlier, the ED had approached the High Court alleging “raid-like” action by the Jharkhand Police at its Ranchi office. The agency had sought quashing of the FIR, a stay on the state police investigation, and transfer of the probe to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
Background of the Dispute
The controversy arose after Santosh Kumar, an employee of the Drinking Water and Sanitation Department (PHED) and an accused in a money-laundering case, lodged an FIR alleging that he was assaulted, abused, and tortured during questioning at the ED office on January 12. The ED has denied the allegations.
Following the complaint, a Ranchi Police team arrived at the ED office on Thursday, leading to a tense standoff between the federal agency and the state police, which ultimately prompted judicial intervention.
