jharkhand-hc-puts-stay-on-ranchi-police-notice-against-ed-officers

Jharkhand High Court on Thursday put a stay on the notice given by Ranchi Police to Enforcement Directorate officials under Section 41A of CrPC. The notice was sent to ED officials in the case registered by former Chief Minister Hemant Soren on January 31, alleging that the raids conducted by the officers at his Delhi residence and Jharkhand Bhawan were meant to tarnish his image as a tribal person, thus putting a dent in the image of the tribal society as a whole.

The Ranchi Police in this case had sent notices to ED officials as well as media persons asking for information in the case.

“The Jharkhand High Court has put a stay on the notice issued by Ranchi police under Section 41A, saying that no notice could be issued further in the matter. Jharkhand police have been given three weeks’ time to file a reply in this regard; till then, no notice will be issued against them,” said Advocate Amit Kumar Das, appearing on behalf of ED at the Jharkhand High Court.

A hearing was held in Jharkhand High Court on Thursday on the petition challenging the FIR registered against ED officials on the complaint filed by former Chief Minister Hemant Soren.

In the case, the court of Justice Anil Kumar Chaudhary ruled that the police cannot call the ED officers for questioning by issuing a notice under Section 41A. The state government sought a week's time to respond to the intervention petition filed by the ED regarding the 41A notice given to the ED officials. Giving time to the government, the court has fixed the date of hearing of the case after 1 week. 

ED officials had filed a petition in the High Court against the notice of the Ranchi Police. The case was heard in the court of Justice Anil Kumar Chaudhary of the Jharkhand High Court. Public Prosecutor Amit Kumar Das argued on behalf of the ED. Advocate Vineet Vashishtha argued on behalf of the state government.