The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has asked Ranchi police to take proper legal action in the matter related to the recovery of two AK-47 rifles from the residence of powerbroker and money-laundering accused Prem Prakash. The probe agency has asked Ranchi police to lodge an FIR against Prem Prakash and other cops who were responsible for the incident.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Wednesday seized two AK-47 rifles from a house— belonging to Prem Prakash, an alleged middleman in corrupt deals — during raids as part of an ongoing probe into a mining scam pegged at Rs 100 crore. The probe agency also recovered 69 cartridges of Russian developed weapons. However, even after the passing of nearly a week, the Ranchi police have not registered any complaint in this connection.
Sources at ED said that if Ranchi police fail to lodge a complaint for criminal investigation, the ED would approach the competent court for a suitable direction. The ED has already deposited both the weapons to the custody of Ranchi police.
As news of recovery of weapons from Prem Prakash who is said to be close to both present and previous governments spread like wildfire, the Opposition BJP left no time in attacking the JMM government.
However, as the news of recovery of sophisticated weapons from Prem Prakash spread, the Ranchi police had sprung into action claiming that the weapon is of Ranchi police.
In a press release, the police stated that cops who were allotted weapons had deposited their weapons at the residence of Prem Prakash for the safety and protection of the weapons as they were caught in the rain. The Ranchi police later also suspended two cops behind the incident.
Meanwhile, constables Mukesh Kumar and Shyamal Horo suspended for mishandling their official weapons are learnt to have told the ED that they have been made a scapegoat and they were obeying the orders of their senior. Sources said that these cops have told the ED that they were working as the bodyguard of Prem Prakash as per the instruction.
Notably, the ED also questioned Prem Prakash in this regard who is currently under police custody of the ED. Prem Prakash is said to have confessed that owing to his clout he enjoyed many such privileges, including the bodyguards for his security during the Raghubar Das government as well as Hemant Soren-led current dispensation. He is said to have narrated the ED, in the beginning, a senior bureaucrat helped him to get the bodyguard following his recommendation. He is said to have good terms with the said bureaucrat who has been holding key positions of some plum departments.