Enforcement Directorate has grilled Birsa Munda Central Jail Superintendent Hamid Akhtar twice in 2023. The first time, Akhter was queried by ED sleuths on June 26. Second time today- November 9. 

Both times Akhter was quizzed by the ED on issues connected with the circumstances that led to one of its accused and power broker Prem Prakash meeting another accused and suspended IAS officer, Chhavi Ranjan, in jail and not provide adequate assistance to the probe agency in its investigation connected with Prem Prakash and Chhavi Ranjan. 

Today, reliable information accessed claimed that the ED sleuths began grilling Jail Superintendent Hamid Akhtar at its regional office in response to a summon issued by the investigation agency. 

The probe agency felt Akhatar’s interrogation was necessary after learning that the jail superintendent assisted the ED accused in prison by violating jail regulations and did not provide adequate assistance to the probe agency in its investigation. 

The questioning centred around the reason why he did not lead provide the CCTV footage sought it earlier. This was despite the local court’s order that the jail superintendent had not provided CCTV footage to the ED and thus did not cooperate in the investigation. 

The ED in the course of an investigation into the money laundering connected with illegal mining, tender management, MNREGA scam and other illegal means has arrested at least 10 important persons, including two IAS officers, two Kolkata-based businessmen, an aide of chief minister Hemant Soren, a chief engineer, chartered accountant besides others. 

All those arrested are in Birsa Munda Central Jail and thus the probe agency is serious about the acts and omissions of the jail superintendent.