Ranchi Police Conducts Surprise Raid on ED Office
Ranchi police executed a dramatic raid on Thursday morning. Officers targeted the regional office of the Enforcement Directorate located in the Hinoo area of the city. This action followed a formal complaint filed by a state government employee against two ED personnel.
The Complaint That Sparked the Operation
Santosh Kumar, an employee with the state drinking water and sanitation department, approached the airport police station on Tuesday. He lodged a serious complaint alleging a "deadly attack" during an interrogation session on Monday. Kumar named ED assistant director Pratik and assistant Shubham as the perpetrators.
According to his statement, the incident occurred inside the ED office. Kumar claimed he sustained injuries that required treatment at the district hospital. He further alleged that the ED officials threatened him to keep silent about the entire episode.
Police Action and ED's Countermove
After receiving Kumar's complaint, Ranchi police summoned the two ED officials on Wednesday. When they did not appear, police launched an operation early Thursday. A team led by DSP Sanjeev Besra entered the ED office around 7 am.
SP K Raman and a forensic expert later joined the operation. The police team remained inside the office until approximately 4:30 pm. Officers declined to share any details about their findings with waiting media personnel.
The Enforcement Directorate responded swiftly by approaching the High Court. In its petition, the central agency demanded a CBI investigation into the police raid. The ED alleged that state police were directly interfering with its functioning. The agency also claimed that Kumar had inflicted injuries upon himself to frame its officials.
The High Court has scheduled a hearing on this matter for January 16.
Political Reactions Intensify
The raid triggered immediate political controversy in Jharkhand. Opposition BJP leaders launched sharp criticism against the state government. Babulal Marandi, the leader of opposition in the assembly, and Godda MP Nishikant Dubey both took to social media to condemn the police action.
Marandi accused the state government of using police to destroy evidence. He noted that the ED is currently investigating cases against Chief Minister Hemant Soren and other state officials. The BJP leader claimed Jharkhand was following West Bengal's pattern of intimidating central agencies.
The ruling JMM party fired back with equal force. Party spokesperson Supriyo Bhattacharya defended the police action as routine duty following proper procedures. He emphasized that police had asked ED officials for their explanation before taking action.
Bhattacharya questioned why BJP leaders were criticizing a legitimate police operation. He demanded that cases be filed against BJP leaders for spreading misinformation and attempting to create conflict between state and central forces.
ED Files New Case Amidst Controversy
As tensions escalated, the Enforcement Directorate registered a separate case late Thursday. This new case targets approximately 60 individuals in connection with the second Jharkhand Public Service Commission scam. The ED based this case on a charge sheet previously filed by the CBI.
The agency will investigate financial aspects of this alleged corruption scandal. This development adds another layer to the ongoing confrontation between state authorities and central investigative agencies in Jharkhand.
The situation remains volatile as legal proceedings continue and political accusations fly between the ruling coalition and opposition parties. All eyes are now on the High Court hearing scheduled for mid-January.
