RANCHI: The Jharkhand High Court on Friday stayed the probe being conducted by the state police into the FIR lodged by drinking water scam accused Santosh Kumar against Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials.
The order has brought significant relief to the ED officials against whom Kumar, an accused in a money laundering case, had filed a named FIR. The High Court also directed that the Border Security Force (BSF) be deployed for the security of ED officials.
Notably, the ED had filed a writ petition in the Jharkhand High Court against the raid conducted by Ranchi police at its office on Thursday. The court heard the ED’s plea on Friday.
In its petition, the central agency sought a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into the entire episode, alleging improper police action.
The controversy stemmed from an FIR filed by Santosh Kumar, an employee of the Public Health Engineering Department (PHED), who alleged that he was assaulted and harassed during questioning at the ED office in Ranchi. Kumar accused ED officials of misconduct, custodial harassment and physical assault during interrogation.
Based on his complaint, a case was registered at the Airport Police Station in Ranchi.
Subsequently, on Thursday morning, a police team reached the ED’s zonal office and carried out a search operation. The police remained at the premises for several hours and questioned officials who were present at the time of the alleged incident.
The case has triggered a sharp face-off between the state police and the central investigative agency, with further legal proceedings now awaited following the High Court’s interim order.