Ranchi violence: PIL filed in Jharkhand HC seeking hand over of case to NIA

Jun 13, 2022

Ranchi (Jharkhand) [India], June 13 : A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) was filed before Jharkhand High Court on Monday regarding the violence in Ranchi that took place on Friday. The petitioner Pankaj Yadav has requested the court to hand over the probe to the National Investigation Agency (NIA).
Notably, violence erupted in Ranchi after the Friday prayers over the controversial religious remarks by suspended BJP leader Nupur Sharma, in which two people lost their lives in the police firing.
The petitioner has made the Jharkhand government, Chief Secretary, Ranchi DC, Ranchi SSP, NIA, Enforcement Directorate and the Income Tax respondent of this case. He has also made Asaduddin Owaisi, President of the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen a respondent as according to the petitioner, he continuously makes instigating statements which influence a lot of people adversely.
Petitioner has said that the violence in Ranchi was an outcome of a larger well-planned conspiracy that Ranchi Police or Jharkhand Police can't investigate and take to a logical conclusion. The ED has been made a party to investigate the source of funding in this violence and conspiracy.
On the other hand, Jharkhand Governor Ramesh Bais on Monday took stock of the situation in the capital city of Ranchi after violence broke following Friday prayers and questioned the police officers over the lack of action against the agitators.
Governor Ramesh Bais summoned the Director General of Police, Additional Director General of Police (Operations), Ranchi Deputy Commissioner and Senior Superintendent of Police at Raj Bhawan and took detailed information from them about the incidents that happened in Ranchi.
"What information did the administration have about the proposed event, dharna, demonstration, procession and what arrangements did you make. You have IB, CID And what inputs did the special branch give?" the Governor asked.
"How many security personnel and magistrates were present during the procession? Why didn't you take any preventive action? Why did you not use water canon, rubber bullets and tear gas? There was no provision of these things there. Why?" asked the Governor.
"Director General of Police told, as per inputs given by IB, 150 people were expected to create chaos," he added.
The Governor also inquired about the number of FIRs registered and arrests made in the case.
He also instructed them to find out details of all protestors and those who were caught, make their names and addresses public, and make their hoardings by displaying their photographs at main places in the city so that the public could also identify them and help police.
The Ranchi police on Monday said that a total of five people arrested so far in connection with the violence in Ranchi on Friday, June 10. The accused were identified as Mohd Arif alias Rinku Khan, Belal Ansari, Mohd Ashfaque, Mohd Anish and Mohd Danish Khan.