The Jharkhand High Court on Thursday sharply reacted to the government allowing Ranchi DC Chhavi Ranjan to file the affidavit on behalf of the State in the matter related to the allocation of stone mining lease to the Chief Minister Hemant Soren at Angara in Ranchi.

Chief Justice Dr. Ravi Ranjan who headed the division bench directed the Advocate General to explain why a person charge-sheeted in a case was allowed to be a deponent on the behalf of the State.

“How can you allow a charge-sheeted person to swear on the behalf of the state? He was charge-sheeted in a criminal case under section 13 (1) (D) of the Prevention of the Corruption. His passport was also confiscated. You must have to explain. This court still doesn’t know how Ranchi DC has personal knowledge of the mining issue,” the Chief Justice remarked.

Ranchi DC is facing charges for felling some trees at his official residence in Koderma in 2015, when he was the DC of the district. An FIR 18/2015 was lodged at Markaccho police station. Later on, the case was transferred to the Vigilance Bureau.

Advocate General Rajiv Ranjan said that Chhavi Ranjan was asked to file the affidavit in his capacity as Deputy Commissioner of Ranchi as he had allocated the mining lease to the CM. Rajiv Ranjan said that Ranchi DC is a competent official to file the affidavit. Besides, he has not been held guilty.  

The court snubbed the Advocate General and said that Ranjan may be competent for the State but not for the court. “Make him secretary; make him the secretary of the Anti-Corruption Bureau. You can do it. But how can you allow a charge-sheeted accused to file the affidavit?” the Chief Justice said. 

The Advocate General said that he has no information about Ranchi DC facing any criminal case and being Ranchi DC, he can file the affidavit on behalf of the State government.

The court directed him to verify from Ranchi DC whether he is facing any criminal case. The court said that an accused has no right to sign an affidavit of his own bail petition. In such a situation how Ranchi DC is allowed who is facing prosecution and is on bail currently. The Chief Justice immediately summoned all documents related to the case against Ranchi DC as he had filed a petition before the High Court to seek relief.