The Jharkhand High Court has ordered a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into an FIR filed against two officials of the Enforcement Directorate (ED), observing that the circumstances of the case require investigation by an independent agency.
Justice Sanjay Kumar Dwivedi passed the order while hearing a criminal writ petition filed by two ED officers challenging the FIR registered at Ranchi’s Airport Police Station. The Court concluded that an impartial probe was necessary given the allegations and the sensitive investigations being handled by the agency.
Background of the Case
The petition was filed by Pratik, an Assistant Director of the Enforcement Directorate, and Shubham Bharti, an Assistant Enforcement Officer posted at the ED’s Ranchi Zonal Office. They sought quashing of the FIR registered as Airport P.S. Case No. 5 of 2026 or, alternatively, transfer of the investigation to the CBI.
The FIR had been lodged by Santosh Kumar, who is already facing investigation in a money laundering case involving alleged misappropriation of around ₹23 crore from the Jharkhand government’s Drinking Water and Sanitation Department.
According to the ED officers, Santosh Kumar appeared at their office on January 12, 2026 without prior summons. During an interaction, he allegedly struck a glass water jug against his own head, causing a minor injury. The officers claimed that he was immediately taken to hospital for treatment and was later declared medically fit.
However, the next day Kumar lodged an FIR accusing the officers of offences including wrongful confinement, criminal intimidation and attempt to murder under various provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023.
Appearing for the ED officials, the petitioners’ counsel argued that the FIR was false and filed with the intention of disrupting ongoing investigations involving influential political figures and senior bureaucrats in the state.
He told the Court that the informant himself was an accused in serious financial irregularities and that the complaint was being used as a tool to intimidate investigators.
The State of Jharkhand, however, opposed the petition. Its counsel argued that law and order falls within the state’s domain and that once a cognizable offence is reported, the police are duty-bound to investigate. The state also maintained that courts should rarely interfere with ongoing investigations at the FIR stage.
Justice Dwivedi examined the allegations, the background of the informant, and the circumstances in which the FIR was registered.
The Court noted that the ED officers were engaged in high-profile investigations and that the police had already registered two criminal cases against the informant in the past.
“The investigation is required to be done fairly,” the Court observed, adding that allegations had been made against a central investigative agency while the state police had acted “in haste” on the complaint.
The judge remarked that the situation created an exceptional circumstance where an independent probe was necessary to ensure fairness and credibility.
Allowing part of the petition, the High Court ordered that the investigation into Airport P.S. Case No. 5 of 2026 be transferred to the CBI.
“The Court finds that there is an exceptional circumstance to handover the matter to the CBI,” the bench held.
The Court directed the Director of the CBI to register the case and conduct the investigation in accordance with law. It also instructed the Officer-in-Charge of Airport Police Station, Ranchi, to immediately hand over all documents and records related to the FIR to the CBI.
With these directions, the criminal writ petition was partly allowed and disposed of.
Case Title: Pratik & Another vs State of Jharkhand & Others
Case Number: W.P. (Cr.) No. 52 of 2026
Judgment Pronounced: 11 March 2026
