Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren Resurfaces, Meets MLAs Amid ED Heat

Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren, who was untraceable on Monday, returned to Ranchi and chaired meetings with alliance MLAs ahead of his scheduled questioning by the ED in a money laundering case.

Ranchi/New Delhi: Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren finally ended the suspense surrounding his whereabouts on Tuesday as he arrived at his official residence in Ranchi. The development came ahead of his scheduled questioning by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in a money laundering case.

Soren's Journey from Delhi to Ranchi

A day after the ED team visited Soren's Delhi residence to question him, sources close to the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) leader revealed that he undertook a 1,250 km road journey from Delhi to Ranchi. The 48-year-old chief minister remained untraceable until his arrival in the state capital.

Meetings with Alliance MLAs

Upon reaching Ranchi, Soren held two rounds of meetings with alliance legislators at the CM House to discuss the current political situation in Jharkhand. Photographs and videos shared by his office showed MLAs and ministers greeting the chief minister before participating in the discussions.

Show of Solidarity from Lawmakers

During the meetings, the lawmakers expressed solidarity with the Hemant Soren government. They also signed a letter of support, without any names, amid speculations that Soren's wife, Kalpana Soren, might take over the reins in case of his arrest.

Security Arrangements in Place

Given the tense political atmosphere, Jharkhand Governor CP Radhakrishnan called Chief Secretary Lalbiaktluanga Khiangte and Director General of Police Ajay Kumar Singh to the Raj Bhavan to assess the law and order situation. Consequently, elaborate security arrangements were made across the state, including the deployment of an additional 7,000 police personnel. Prohibitory orders were imposed in key areas of Ranchi, including the CM House, Raj Bhavan, and ED office.

ED Questioning and Allegations

Soren, who is also the executive president of the ruling JMM, had left for Delhi on January 27, leading to the cancellation of his scheduled government programs in Jharkhand. In an email to the ED on Sunday, he alleged political motivations behind the agency's actions and claimed that the insistence on recording his statement again reeked of malice.

The ED had previously questioned Soren on January 20 and issued a fresh summons, asking him to confirm his availability for questioning on either January 29 or January 31. The agency is set to question him on Wednesday in Ranchi in connection with a money laundering case linked to an alleged land scam.

Political Verbal Duel

Meanwhile, the JMM and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) engaged in a verbal duel over Soren's absence. The JMM accused the BJP of spreading rumors about Soren's whereabouts, while the Congress and JMM alleged that the saffron party was attempting to destabilize the democratically elected government.

JMM's Defense and BJP's Criticism

JMM spokesperson Supriyo Bhattacharya asserted that the party would file a case against state BJP chief Babulal Marandi for allegedly defaming the chief minister. He questioned why the ED reached Soren's official residence in Delhi when he had agreed to record his statement on January 31.

On the other hand, BJP MP Nishikant Dubey raised doubts about Soren's hidden wealth following the ED's recovery of cash during the search operations at his residence. He also drew comparisons between Soren and his father, Shibu Soren, who had gone missing for 21 days while serving as a Union minister.

As Jharkhand awaits the ED's questioning of Chief Minister Hemant Soren, the political atmosphere in the state remains tense. The coming days will be crucial in determining the fate of the JMM-led government and the outcome of the money laundering case.