High Court directs Ranchi DC to explain his status in tree-felling case

Ranchi: The Jharkhand High Court has issued a notice to Ranchi DC Chhavi Ranjan to file a personal affidavit to inform as to whether he is accused in a criminal case that is pending before the Vigilance Court in Ranchi. The court has further directed him to also furnish details of the status of the case against him.

The notice was issued by the bench of Chief Justice Dr Ravi Ranjan and Justice Sujit Narayan Prasad on Thursday during the course
of the hearing. The order was uploaded on Friday. The matter came during the hearing of the PIL against the stone mining lease issued to Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren at Angara in Ranchi.

Chhavi Ranjan had filed an affidavit on behalf of the state in his capacity as the DC of Ranchi stating that he had issued the mining lease to the chief minister and all rules and regulations were followed. He further said that he is well acquainted with the facts of the mining department.

The court had objected and stated that an accused charge-sheeted in a criminal case under the provision of the Prevention of Corruption Act and being prosecuted by the state can not swear on behalf of the state.