Jharkhand HC fines govt Rs 8,000 for seeking more time in ED officers FIR case V

Ranchi: The Jharkhand High Court on Monday imposed a fine of Rs 8,000 on the state government for seeking additional time to file its response to a petition seeking quashing of an FIR lodged under the SC/ST Act against former Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials.

The penalty amount has been directed to be deposited in the account of the Jharkhand State Legal Services Authority (JHALSA).

The court passed the order during the hearing of a petition filed by former ED officials, including Kapil Raj and Devvrat Jha, challenging the FIR registered against them and others at the instance of Chief Minister Hemant Soren.

Earlier, during the previous hearing, the court had imposed a fine of Rs 10,000 on Hemant Soren after his counsel sought four weeks' time to file a response. With the latest order, both the state government and Soren have been penalised for seeking additional time to submit their replies in the matter.

Senior advocate Amit Kumar Das and advocate Saurabh Kumar appeared for the ED officials during the proceedings.

The case is related to an FIR lodged by Hemant Soren on January 31, 2024, at the SC/ST police station in Ranchi against then ED officials Kapil Raj, Devvrat Jha, Anupam Kumar, Aman Patel, and others.

In his complaint, Soren had alleged that ED officials had asked him to remain in Ranchi between January 29 and 31, 2024, while conducting a search at his Delhi residence without prior notice during his absence.

He had further alleged that the agency’s actions subjected him to mental and social harassment and that attempts were made to tarnish his image through media reports.

Subsequently, the ED officials approached the High Court seeking quashing of the FIR and a stay on the police action initiated on its basis.

The court had earlier stayed further proceedings, including police notices issued to the officials, and sought a response from the state government.

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