Ranchi Police Surround ED Office; Marandi Warns Jharkhand Won’t Become West Bengal, CISF Deployed

Ranchi: Reports have emerged that the Ranchi Police have surrounded the Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) regional office on Airport Road. Opposition leader Babulal Marandi claimed that the office holds crucial evidence related to corruption cases involving Chief Minister Hemant Soren and the state police-administration, running into thousands of crores. Marandi expressed concern that police action could be used as a pretext to tamper with or destroy these critical records.

Following the police presence, CISF personnel were deployed outside the ED office to maintain security.

Marandi Demands Central Forces Deployment

Babulal Marandi urged the Prime Minister’s Office, the Ministry of Home Affairs, and the Government of India to ensure central forces are stationed at the Ranchi ED office to safeguard its operations. He highlighted previous attempts in Jharkhand to file false cases against the ED and attacks by JMM-Congress workers on the agency, which he said aim to obstruct independent and impartial investigations. Marandi asserted, “Jharkhand will not be allowed to become like West Bengal. Corruption must be punished.”

BJP MP Nishikant Dubey Raises Alarm

Godda MP Nishikant Dubey echoed Marandi’s concerns, claiming the Ranchi police are acting in a manner similar to the West Bengal government under Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. Dubey alleged that the ED office houses key evidence related to large-scale corruption involving the Chief Minister and the state administration, and that police action might jeopardize both evidence and honest officers. He stressed that the time has come to dismantle the “illegal administration” in Jharkhand.

Reason Behind Police Action

The Ranchi Police reportedly reached the ED office Thursday morning to conduct an investigation following a complaint from Santosh Kumar, a clerk in the state Water Supply Department. He alleged that ED Assistant Director Prateek and his assistant Shubham called him to the office, assaulted him, injured his head, and attempted to destroy evidence. The police have initiated an inquiry based on this complaint.

While the police team reached the ED office in the morning, officials did not arrive by 11:30 a.m., delaying the start of the investigation.