VIJAY DEO JHA
Ranchi, Aug 29: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has asked the Ranchi police to take proper legal action in the matter related to the recovery of two AK-47 rifles from the residence of powerbroker and money-laundering accused Prem Prakash.
If Ranchi police don’t lodge a complaint for criminal investigation, the ED would approach the competent court for a suitable direction. The ED has already deposited both the weapons to the custody of Ranchi police.
Meanwhile, constables Mukesh Kumar and Shyamal Horo suspended for mishandling their official weapons are learnt to have told the ED that they have been made a scapegoat and they were obeying the orders of their senior. Sources said that these cops have told the ED that they were working as the bodyguard of Prem Prakash as per the instruction.
Prem Prakash disclosed a senior bureaucrat recommended bodyguards for him
Notably, the ED also questioned Prem Prakash in this regard who is currently under police custody of the ED. Prem Prakash is said to have confessed that owing to his clout he enjoyed many such privileges, including the bodyguards for his security during the Raghubar Das government as well as Hemant Soren-led current dispensation. He is said to have narrated the ED, in the beginning, a senior bureaucrat helped him to get the bodyguard following his recommendation. He is said to have good terms with the said bureaucrat who has been holding key positions of some plum departments.
Both the weapons belong to the Ranchi police and in this context, Ranchi SSP Kishore Kaushal suspended constables Mukesh Kumar and Shyamal Horo for keeping their official weapons at a private residence. Further, the show cause notice has been issued to Ranchi sergeant major Abhinav Nand Pathak. Initially, the Ranchi police claimed that both the cops were deployed in the CM security, declining that they ever worked as unofficial bodyguards of Prem Prakash. Police said that a day before the ED carried out raids at the residence of Prem Prakash, both the cops were caught in the rain. Hence in order to protect their weapons, they kept these at the residence of Prem Prakash as they were acquainted with a staff of Prem Prakash. However, the story sounded fabricated.
Transfer and posting: Prem Prakash had privy to all
Prem Prakash is stated to have made certain other disclosures regarding the transfer and posting of bureaucrats. For instance, he claimed how a senior bureaucrat was ready to pay any amount or had paid to get a desirable posting. Prem Prakash is accused of having unduly interfered in the transfer and posting of top bureaucrats. Once he felt insulted and ignored by a senior IPS officer, he lobbied for the transfer of the said IPS officer so that he was shunted.
