Ranchi – The Jharkhand High Court on Wednesday sharply criticized the state government for failing to register an FIR based on a complaint by Kiran Devi, the mother of gangster Aman Sahu, who was killed in a police encounter earlier this year.
A division bench led by Chief Justice Tarlok Singh Chauhan, while hearing a petition demanding a CBI investigation into the encounter, remarked, “No one is above the law—not even the Director General of Police.” The court questioned why no FIR had been filed despite an online complaint submitted by the deceased’s mother.
The bench has now directed the state government to submit a detailed response, explaining the reason for the delay in action.
During the hearing, the petitioner’s counsel alleged that the state was deliberately delaying the case, possibly to tamper with or destroy crucial evidence. The lawyer emphasized that important electronic records like call detail records (CDRs) from mobile providers are only preserved for a limited time, and further delay could result in the permanent loss of such data.
In her petition, Kiran Devi claimed that her son Aman Sahu was killed in a fake encounter on March 11 in Palamu district. She alleged that Sahu was being transported from Raipur Central Jail to the NIA Court in Ranchi when he was deliberately killed mid-journey as part of a larger conspiracy.
The petition also pointed to glaring inconsistencies in security arrangements. While Sahu was earlier moved from Chaibasa Jail to Raipur under a 75-member police escort, only a 12-member Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) team was assigned to bring him back to Ranchi.
Kiran Devi stated that she had repeatedly voiced concerns over threats to her son’s life and had warned that police might stage an encounter to eliminate him.
The petition names several government agencies and officials as respondents, including the Union Home Ministry, the CBI Director, the Jharkhand Home Secretary, the state DGP, Ranchi SSP, and ATS officers. She has demanded an impartial investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation.
The High Court has also asked the state to respond to an intervention application (IA) filed by the petitioner and ordered the government to submit a comprehensive affidavit before the next hearing date.
Aman Sahu, who faced over 150 criminal charges in Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, and other states, was shot dead in what police claim was a retaliatory encounter on March 11. According to the police, Sahu’s gang ambushed the police convoy near Andhari Dhoda in Palamu’s Chainpur police station limits using explosives. Amid the chaos, Sahu allegedly snatched a weapon from a police jawan and tried to escape while firing at the officers. He was shot dead in return fire. One policeman was also injured during the incident.
With inputs from IANS