Ranchi, Nov. 3: Questioning the role of the police top brass in recalling the arrest warrants issued against Bhawnathpur MLA Bhanu Pratap Sahi, Jharkhand High Court today sought an explanation from director-general of police J.B. Mahapatra, Palamau DIG and Garhwa superintendent of police on the entire episode.

Sahi’s arrest warrants issued by the Garhwa additional chief judicial magistrate were returned to the court by the investigating officers following instructions from the South Chhotanagpur inspector-general of police D.K. Pandey, who had allegedly clamped a stay on the investigations.

The court, taking a stern note of the anomaly, observed that the IG is the main culprit. He has made a mockery of the system and will have to face the music, the court said.

The division bench made advocate-general S.B. Gadodia an amicus curie in the case and directed him to assist the court instead of taking sides of erring officers. The court also directed CID DSP Irshad Ahmed to address the bench through a counsel on the next date. The South Chhotanagpur inspector-general of police, the three investigating officers and the CID DSP said to be involved in the case appeared before the court in person today.

Significantly, the investigating officers requisitioned warrants to arrest Sahi as he was untraceable. However, the warrants were returned to the court as the investigations were allegedly stayed by Pandey.

The three investigating officers informed the court that they had received a letter from the Garhwa SP as per the order of the South Chhotanagpur IG of police on September 24 instructing them to stop investigations in the three cases against Sahi till further directions. Pander’s counsel Raja Ramachandran said misinterpretation of the IG’s letter by his subordinates cased the controversy.