A political controversy has emerged in Jharkhand following a police investigation into an alleged assault on Santosh Kumar, a suspect in a money-laundering case at the Enforcement Directorate (ED) office in Ranchi. The police, accompanied by a significant force, visited the ED’s regional office on Airport Road to look into an FIR filed by Santosh Kumar. This move has drawn criticism from the BJP, accusing the state government of interfering with a central investigative agency’s independence.
Leader of the Opposition in Jharkhand, Babulal Marandi, expressed concerns over the police presence at the ED office, raising apprehensions about potential tampering with evidence related to corruption cases involving top officials. Marandi highlighted previous incidents targeting the ED in the state and demanded intervention from the Prime Minister’s Office and the Union Home Ministry to safeguard the ED office in Ranchi.
BJP MP Nishikant Dubey echoed similar worries, alleging that the state government’s actions mirrored those in West Bengal, aiming to intimidate officers and manipulate crucial evidence. The controversy stems from allegations made by Santosh Kumar, a clerk embroiled in a multi-crore scam, who claimed he was assaulted and coerced during questioning at the ED office.
The police have initiated an impartial investigation into the matter, deploying personnel and examining CCTV footage from the ED office. Meanwhile, the ED has refuted the allegations, asserting that Santosh Kumar was not summoned and had self-inflicted injuries. The ED plans to escalate the issue to the High Court for resolution.
