Ranchi: The Jharkhand High Court, while hearing the ED’s criminal writ petition on Thursday, stayed the investigation by the Ranchi Police. The bench of Justice Sanjay Kumar Dwivedi delivered this decision.
Stop the investigation immediately – High Court
The Jharkhand High Court has stayed any action by the Ranchi Police in the assault case against the central agency ED. The High Court has directed the state government to file its reply within 7 days and the private respondent Santosh Kumar within 10 days. The Union Home Secretary and respondent Santosh Kumar have also been made parties to the case. The ED has demanded a CBI investigation in its petition, which the court has indicated it will consider. The next hearing is on February 9th.
Senior advocate of the Jharkhand High Court, Dheeraj Kumar, said that the petition filed by the ED was heard, after which the bench of Justice Sanjay Kumar Dwivedi stayed the action of the Ranchi Police. The court said that the SSP will oversee the security of the ED office. CISF and CRPF have also been given security responsibilities.
Court’s Directions
CISF or CRPF will handle the security of the ED’s Ranchi office.
The state government has been ordered to file its reply within 7 days and private respondent Santosh Kumar within 10 days.
The Union Home Secretary and Santosh Kumar have been made parties to the case.
The ED has demanded a CBI investigation, which the court has indicated it will consider.
What is the whole matter?
The case is related to alleged irregularities in the Water Supply Department. The ED was investigating the matter, during which the accused Santosh Kumar reached the ED office without a summons and requested to record his statement. However, Santosh later filed an FIR against ED officials at the Ranchi Airport police station, alleging assault during questioning.
Following the FIR, the Ranchi Police started an investigation and reached the ED’s Ranchi office on Thursday. The ED filed a criminal writ petition in the High Court against this action by the police. The ED claims that this move by the police is obstructing their independent investigation. On Friday, the case was heard in the High Court, and a bench of Justice Sanjay Kumar Dwivedi imposed a complete stay on the investigation by the Ranchi police during the hearing.
