Lagatar24 Desk
Ranchi: The Jharkhand High Court has made it clear that the Ranchi Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) will be held responsible if any untoward incident occurs at the Enforcement Directorate (ED) office, while hearing a petition filed by the central agency seeking security protection.
Court Issues Strong Observations on Security
Justice Sanjay Kumar Dwivedi, while delivering the order, stated that although the High Court generally exercises restraint in granting interim protection at the initial stage of an FIR, the present circumstances do not permit the court to remain a silent spectator. The court clarified that any final conclusion on the issues raised in the petition would be drawn only after receiving responses from the other parties.
Directions to State and Central Authorities
The court directed senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for the state government, to obtain instructions from the government and file a reply within two weeks. It also noted that Section 67 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) provides protection to government officials acting in good faith while probing money laundering cases.
Deployment of Paramilitary Forces Ordered
To ensure adequate security, the High Court ordered deployment of BSF, CISF or other paramilitary forces at the ED office. Assistant Solicitor General of India Prashant Pallav was instructed to immediately inform the Union Home Secretary about the court’s directions regarding security arrangements. The Ranchi SSP was explicitly directed to oversee the security of the ED office, with the court warning that any lapse leading to an untoward incident would make the SSP personally accountable.
CCTV Footage to Be Preserved
The court further ordered that all CCTV footage installed at the ED office must be preserved to ensure transparency and accountability.
Background of the Case
During the hearing, ED counsel Amit Das informed the court that the agency is currently investigating highly sensitive cases involving ministers, IAS officers and other influential individuals. The court was also apprised that Santosh Kumar, the prime accused in the drinking water scam, had lodged a complaint against ED officials at the airport police station. Santosh Kumar is accused of conspiring with others to fraudulently siphon off Rs 23 crore from the government exchequer. According to the ED, he arrived at the office voluntarily for questioning on January 12, became agitated during interrogation, and injured himself by hitting his head with a water jug.
