Jharkhand High Court observes State police raid on ED office ‘pre-planned’

The Jharkhand High Court on Friday, January 16, 2026, observed that the recent police raid on the Enforcement Directorate office in Ranchi prima facie appeared to be “pre-planned”.

Justice Sanjay Kumar Dwide, while hearing a writ petition filed by the ED, directed the central agency to make the Union Home Minister a party in the case.

The court ordered the Union Home Minister to deploy CRPF/BSF or any other paramilitary force to ensure security of the ED office and its officers.

Judge Dwide also directed Ranchi Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Rakesh Ranjan to ensure security of the ED office.

The court observed that if there was any lapse in the security of the ED office and its staff, SSP Ranchi would be held directly responsible for the same.

The Supreme Court also stayed the police investigation against the ED officials based on the FIR registered at the Airport police station by Santosh Kumar, a former Jharkhand government employee.

The Enforcement Directorate on Thursday (January 15, 2026) moved the Jharkhand High Court seeking a CBI probe into the raid carried out by the State police on its premises for alleged “direct interference” in the functioning of the central agency.

ED counsel informed the court that the central agency was investigating an alleged fraud of Rs 23 crore by Santosh.

He also informed the court that ₹ 9 crore has already been recovered by the ED in the matter.