VIJAY DEO JHA
Ranchi, July, 19: Sahibganj police has informed Pakur based businessman and a key witness of the Enforcement Directorate, Shambhu Nandan Kumar, that in the light of the Jharkhand High Court order it would provide security to him within Sahibganj district only.
In a letter sent to Shambhu Nandan Kumar, Sahibganj SP has told him that in order to get security he will have to inform the Sahibganj police in advance about his travel schedule in the Sahibganj district so that security and other logistics are arranged. As per the letter, he will be required to inform SDPO of Barharwa as well inspector of Barharwa circle and the officer in-charge of Barharwa at least 24 hours before whether he has a plan to visit Sahibganj.
The Sahibganj Police sent this letter to Shambhu Nandan Kumar in the wake of Jharkhand High court directives. He filed a petition at the High court seeking a CBI inquiry of his complaint against Congress minister Alamgir Alam and CM Hemant Soren’s MLA representative Pankaj Mishra. Besides, he sought police security for him. He said that for the last many months he has been requesting police to provide security but his request was turned down.
On this the court of Justice Sanjay Kumar Dwivedi passed the order in the Criminal Writ petition 156/2020. The court said that Sahibganj SP and the officer in-charge of Barharwa police station would be held responsible if anything happens with the petitioner. The court further directed the SP and officer in-charge to remain vigilant about his security.
On being contacted Shambhu Nandan Kumar expressed his dissatisfaction. “ED is investigating a case where I am a complainant. I am facing a security threat as I have named Alamgir Alam and Pankaj Mishra. It makes no sense that they would provide me security in Sahibganj district only provided that I inform them in advance about my travel schedule. Who will provide me security in Pakur and other places? I am a businessman and I have business concerns in Sahibganj and many other districts. I keep moving and it is not practically possible to chalk out a plan and inform the police,” said Shambhu Nandan.
He said that police were making a mockery of the High court order. “They are not even providing me half security. This is eyewash,” he said.
The ED is investigating a tender scam case based on the FIR lodged by him at Barharwa Police station in June 2020 in Sahibganj district. He had named the minister and Pankaj Mishra among the accused of the case. Shambhu Nandan Kumar had demanded security for him besides the CBI inquiry of his complaint. The court directed the CBI and the state government to file a reply in response to the petition. It has directed SP Sahibganj to ensure security of the petitioner else he will be held liable if anything goes wrong with the petitioner.
On June 20, 2020 an auction took place for collection of toll tax on Barharwa road. It is alleged that Alamgir Alam wanted the auction in favour of IA Ingicons Pvt Limited, a company owned by his brother. He even called Shambhu Nandan Kumar not to participate in the auction. Later on, Pankaj Mishra allegedly made a call to Shambhu Nandan Kumar from the mobile phone of the minister and threatened him with dire consequences if he did not fall in line. But as he refused to withdraw and somehow participated in the auction he was assaulted. Shambhu Nandan Kumar lodged an FIR at Barharwa police station on June 21 against Alamgir Alam,
Pankaj Mishra and others under sections 147 (rioting), 149 (member of the unlawful assembly), 341 (wrongful restraint), 342 (wrongful confinement), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 379 (to commit theft), 120 B (criminal conspiracy), 504 (Intentional insult) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the IPC.
