ED writes to TN police again to book DVAC officers for their 'illegal search'

CHENNAI: More than two weeks after writing to Tamil Nadu DGP Shankar Jiwal to book DVAC officers and unknown others for 'criminal trespassing' to Madurai office of Enforcement Directorate and 'stealing' sensitive documents, the ED has sent a reminder to the TN head of the police force again for directing officers concerned to register an FIR.

In the second letter the ED has requested to register the First Information Report for the offences under Section 447, 506, 378 read with sections 380 and 353 of IPC against the DVAC officials and various unauthorized unknown persons, and added that no action has been taken till now.

ED has cited a Supreme Court order necessitating the registration of an FIR when an information discloses cognizable offence.

A team of DVAC personnel searched the Madurai office of ED after arresting its officer Ankit Tiwari for demanding and accepting bribe from Dindigul-based government doctor T Suresh Babu on December 1.

The same day, DVAC officers reached ED's Madurai office and searched Ankit Tiwari's cabin till next morning.

While DVAC claimed to have seized incriminating documents, ED alleged that DVAC personnel tampered with sensitive case files and stole them.

Since ED's letter to DGP on December 2 did not evoke any reaction, it has issued a reminder.

Since, in the present case, the information submitted by ED in its letter dated 2, December 2023, disclosed the cognizable offence, it is once again requested to direct the concerned Police Station to register FIR against the DVAC officials who have conducted the illegal search and against all the persons who entered the office premises of ED in an unauthorized manner and stole/accessed ED records etc, the communication said.