Officer Faces Case For Violating Prohibitory Order During Hemant Soren Questioning

The Ranchi district administration has lodged an FIR against senior CRPF personnel for “violating” prohibitory orders under Section 144 of CrPC during the questioning of Chief Minister Hemant Soren by the Enforcement Directorate in connection with a money laundering case, an official said on Monday.

The FIR was registered at Gonda police station on Sunday, he said.

"We have registered an FIR against CRPF IG, commandant and other personnel for violating provisions of Section 144 in the vicinity of the chief minister's residence on Sunday," Circle Officer, Ranchi, Munshi Ram told PTI.

Ram said the FIR was also lodged against JMM workers and ‘Bhim Army' supporters for violating the prohibitory orders.

The district administration had imposed prohibitory orders under Section 144 near Soren's official residence, where he was questioned on Saturday from 7 am to 11 pm, disallowing any demonstration, carrying weapons and public meetings.

Sleuths of the ED had questioned Soren in connection with the money laundering case linked to land deals.

The ruling Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) had on Sunday alleged that CRPF personnel were trying to barge into the chief minister's residence without "any permission" during his questioning.

"They wanted the agitators and party workers to attack CRPF personnel so that the state government could be accused of failure of the constitutional system, and the ground for imposing President's rule can be prepared," the JMM had claimed in a statement.

Meanwhile, opposition BJP alleged that even as prohibitory orders were imposed, thousands of JMM workers had gathered near the CM's house to “threaten the ED officials".

CRPF officials could not be contacted for comments.

Gonda police station in-charge Ravi Thakur said the FIR against the CRPF personnel was registered under Section 353 of the IPC.

The section deals with assault or criminal force to deter a public servant from discharge of duty. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)