Jharkhand Police 'Framing' Our Officers To Obstruct Money Laundering Probe, ED Tells High Court
The central agency alleged that the state police were using FIRs as a tool to hinder its investigation, particularly in cases implicating state officials in financial crimes
In an escalation of the clash between the Enforcement directorate (ED) and the state police, the Jharkhand government appears to be using FIRs and some ‘deliberate’ investigations to obstruct the ED’s probe into the alleged money laundering scam involving state officials and senior politicians.
By targeting ED officers with false cases, the state aims to intimidate and disrupt the central agency’s investigation, the directorate alleged in a 135-page writ petition filed in the Jharkhand High Court. News 18 has a copy of the petition.
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Seeking judicial redressal, the ED has also appealed to the court to transfer the cases filed against the officers to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). The court, which heard the petition on Tuesday, directed the state file an affidavit clarifying the issues by December 19, and to secure the related CCTV footages mentioned by the ED. Until the next hearing, the court has stayed the investigation by the police.
What did ED say in the petition?
According to the petition accessed by News 18, Jharkhand Police registered an FIR accusing senior ED officers of extortion and abduction based on a complaint filed by a local lawyer. The complainant, in his statement, took the names of the officers and stated he was coerced to pay them in crores. The petition further stated that the directorate, after being informed about the FIRs, requested the police for a set of evidence, including CCTV footage of certain premises, including a few of certain police stations, related to the investigation procedure.
In addition, the directorate wrote to the state Director General of Police, seeking information for initiating an internal inquiry into the corruption charges against its officers. However, the central agency did not receive any response. Meanwhile, the directorate collected evidence on its own and initiated an inquiry following which the decision of filing the petition was taken, said a senior ED officer.
ED vs Jharkhand Police
The ED, tasked with investigating the money laundering allegations in Jharkhand, has flagged what it calls “illegal interference" by the state police. The central agency alleged that the state police were using FIRs as a tool to hinder its investigation, particularly in cases implicating state officials in financial crimes.
In the petition, ED stated some police officers (name withheld) are allegedly acting on instructions from senior officials and pressuring accused persons to name officials from the directorate of enforcement in connection with two FIRs filed on October 6.
A deliberate attempt appears to be made to implicate officers of the directorate in false cases, creating harassment and instilling fear among officers fulfilling their duties, ED said, adding that the police officers are accused of intentionally targeting officials from the directorate involved in sensitive investigations at the Ranchi Zonal Office.
The ED also alleged that the Jharkhand Police seemed to have aimed at implicating central agency officers to obstruct legitimate investigations being conducted by the directorate, which reportedly involves several state government officials.
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