Ranchi, March 11 -- In a major legal setback for the state's investigation machinery, the Jharkhand High Court on Wednesday ordered an immediate CBI probe into a criminal case against two senior Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials. Justice Sanjay Kumar Dwivedi stayed the ongoing police proceedings, citing the need for an independent inquiry into what the ED termed a 'pre-planned tactic' to disrupt high-stakes corruption investigations. The legal battle stems from an FIR registered at Airport police station on January 13, 2026, against Pratik Kumar (assistant director) and Shubham Bharti (assistant enforcement officer) of the ED's Ranchi Zonal Office. Complainant Santosh Kumar, an accused in a Rs.23-crore misappropriation scam within the drinking water and sanitation department, alleged that the officers assaulted him during questioning. Represented by ASG SV Raju, the petitioners presented a startling counter-narrative. Kumar allegedly appeared at the ED office on January 12 without a formal summons. The ED claimed while being questioned about siphoning government funds, Kumar became 'evasive and agitated'. He allegedly picked up a water jug from the table and struck himself on the head, causing a minor scalp injury in an attempt to frame the officers. The ED further alleged that on January 15, a 'substantial police presence' arrived at their zonal office at 6 am, attempting to treat the federal agency's office as a 'crime scene' to stall active investigations against high-profile political figures and IAS officers. The HC noted that the ED was currently handling sensitive probes involving former ministers and senior bureaucrats. The Bench observed that the sudden institution of an FIR by a principal scam accused appeared to be a strategic move to hamper the statutory duties of federal officers. "What has been discussed above and in light of the allegations made against the petitioners, who happened to be the officials of the Enforcement Directorate investigating high-profile cases of the State of Jharkhand, and the Jharkhand police has also lodged two cases against the informant-on whose allegations the Jharkhand police acted in haste as discussed herein above, which prima facie suggests that the police acted on the instruction of the high-ups-the investigation is required to be done fairly. Since the allegation is made against the Central government agency, a fair investigation by an independent agency is the need of the hour," the HC order reads....