RAJ KUMAR
Ranchi, June 26: The Directorate of Enforcement, a central investigation agency, today began questioning Birsa Munda Central Jail Superintendent Hamid Akhtar at its regional office here.
The interrogation began after Akhtar arrived at the ED office in response to a summons issued by the investigation agency.
The probe agency felt Akhatar’s interrogation was necessary after learning that the jail superintendent assisted the ED accused in the prison by violating jail regulations and did not provide adequate assistance to the probe agency in its investigation.
The probe agency is expected to question the jail superintendent about the circumstances that led to one of its accused and power broker Prem Prakash, meeting another accused and suspended IAS officer, Chhavi Ranjan, in the jail.
Despite a court order, the jail superintendent did not provide CCTV footage to the ED and thus did not cooperate in the investigation. As a result, it is expected that the ED will inquire as to why Akhtar did so.
The ED in course of investigation of laundering of money earned by illegal mining, tender management, MNREGA scam and other illegal means has arrested at least 10 important persons, including two IAS officers, two Kolkata-based businessmen, aide of chief minister Hemant Soren, a chief engineer, chartered accountant besides others. All those arrested are in Birsa Munda Central Jail and thus the probe agency is serious about the acts and omissions of the jail superintendent.
