June 10 Ranchi violence: Explain why posters of accused were put up, Principal Secy directs SSP

In a letter to Ranchi SSP Surendra Jha, Principal Secretary Ekka, who is also the state Home Secretary, said: “…posters of people part of violent protest were put up by Ranchi Police on June 14, in which many people’s names and other information have also been given. This is illegal and against the order of the Allahadbad High Court in PIL 532/2020 dated March 9, 2020.” He asked the SSP to submit within two days the explanation.

On Tuesday, the police had released posters of individuals wanted for the June 10 violence. However, hours later it revoked the decision and removed the posters to “make some changes”. The police did not specify the nature of changes that they intended to make.

The police move to release the posters had come a day after Governor Ramesh Bais “summoned” DGP Neeraj Sinha and other senior officials at Raj Bhawan and asked them to make public names and addresses of all protesters and display their photographs on hoardings at prominent places. Leaders of the ruling alliance in the state – Congress and Jharkhand Mukti Morcha – had termed it “overreach dictated by the Centre”.

According to a release issued by the state Public Relations Department on Monday, the Governor had told the officials: “Find out details of all protesters and those who have been caught, make their names/addresses public, make their hoardings by displaying their photographs at main places in the city so that the public can also identify them and help police.”

According to the release, Bais asked, “People who are spreading rumours through or on social media about these incidents, have you identified them and taken any action against them? All such people need to be identified and punished.”