PTI
Ranchi
A team of the Ranchi police collected CCTV footage of the zonal office of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) here on Thursday, after a former Jharkhand government employee alleged assault by ED officials during interrogation, sources said.
The development triggered a war of words between the opposition BJP and the ruling Jharkhand Mukti Morca (JMM) over the authority of the police force.
Police personnel arrived at the ED office in the morning, after the former drinking water and sanitation department employee filed a police complaint on January 12, alleging that he was “thrashed” by ED officials during interrogation over an alleged water supply scam.
The team comprised a DSP-rank officer and the airport police station in-charge, the sources said. The police, however, did not issue any official statement on it till the filing of this report.
The development comes close on the heels of the confrontation between the West Bengal police and ED officials, after the central probe agency conducted searches at the office of political consultancy firm I-PAC and the residence of its director Pratik Jain, amid allegations of interference by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
On condition of anonymity, an officer of Ranchi police said they were scrutinising CCTV footage of the ED office here in view of the assault charge. CISF personnel have been deployed near the ED office to boost security.
Meanwhile, Leader of Opposition in Jharkhand assembly, Babulal Marandi, alleged that under the guise of police action at the central probe agency’s office, attempts could be made to tamper with and destroy crucial evidence pertaining to cases involving Chief Minister Hemant Soren.
Bharatiya Janata Party MP Nishikant Dubey also expressed apprehension that the state police action may result in arrest of honest officials.
“Following the example of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee ji, the Jharkhand government and its Chief Minister Hemant Soren ji, @ranchipolice have surrounded the @dir_ed office in Ranchi as per the information,” Dubey said in an X post.
False cases have previously been filed against the ED in Jharkhand, and attempts to attack the agency by JMM-Congress workers have also occurred, the BJP leader alleged.
“Such incidents are attempts to obstruct the independent and impartial functioning of investigative agencies. Hemant ji, listen carefully… We will not let Jharkhand become Bengal. You will definitely get punishment for corruption. The time has come to completely destroy the illegal administration present in Jharkhand,” he said.
Slamming the statement of leader of opposition, JMM central spokesperson Supriyo Bhattacharya said the police were doing their job and a case against Marandi should be lodged for “provoking a clash between central and state forces”.
