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 challenging an FIR registered under the SC/ST Act against former Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials.
The court directed the government to deposit the amount in the account of the Jharkhand State Legal Services Authority (JHALSA).
The order was passed during the hearing of a petition filed by former ED officials, including Kapil Raj and Devvrat Jha, seeking the quashing of the FIR registered against them and others following a complaint by Chief Minister Hemant Soren.
The latest penalty follows an earlier order in which the High Court imposed a fine of Rs 10,000 on Soren after his counsel sought four weeks to submit a response to the petition. With Monday’s order, both the Chief Minister and the state government have faced financial penalties for seeking additional time to file their replies.
Senior advocate Amit Kumar Das and advocate Saurabh Kumar represented the former ED officials during the proceedings.
The case relates to an FIR lodged by 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 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 in his absence and without prior notice.
He further alleged that the agency’s actions caused him mental and social harassment and that attempts were made to damage his public image through media reports.
Following the registration of the FIR, the ED officials moved the High Court, challenging the case and seeking a stay on further police action.
The High Court had earlier stayed further proceedings in the matter, including police notices issued to the officials, and directed the state government to file its response. The case is now being heard on the question of whether the FIR should be quashed.
-IANS