Overview
- The Jharkhand High Court stayed the police investigation into an FIR against ED officers, calling the Ranchi police raid on the agency’s office prima facie preplanned and ordering deployment of central forces to protect the premises.
- The court directed preservation of CCTV footage at the Ranchi ED office and said the city’s SSP would be personally liable for any security lapse, with the matter listed for further hearing in February.
- A day earlier, the Supreme Court stayed Kolkata Police FIRs against ED officials over the I-PAC searches, issued notices to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and senior state police officers, and ordered preservation of digital records, setting the next hearing for February 3.
- Ranchi police had entered the ED’s zonal office and collected CCTV footage after former state employee Santosh Kumar alleged assault during questioning, while the ED sought a CBI probe and told the court the injuries were self-inflicted.
- ED submissions said the Jharkhand probe concerns alleged misappropriation of about Rs 23 crore involving Santosh Kumar, with roughly Rs 9 crore recovered, as political parties traded accusations over interference and evidence protection.