Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren Faces ED Questioning in Land Scam Case

In a dramatic turn of events surrounding the alleged land scam case, Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren is anticipated to face questioning today by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in Ranchi. The intense saga, spanning over 40 hours, saw the ED declaring Soren as ‘untraceable’ before his eventual return to his official residence in Ranchi.

After a visit to Delhi, Soren’s whereabouts remained unclear, triggering speculation and political tension. Finally reaching his residence on Tuesday, Soren chaired a meeting with alliance MLAs, putting an end to the suspense.

Soren, in response to the ED’s summons, has agreed to record his statement on January 31 at 1 pm at his residence. However, he accused the ED of having a “motivated political agenda” to disrupt the state government’s functioning. Soren’s letter to the ED claimed that the insistence on recording his statement again by January 31 “reeked of malice.”

The ED had earlier searched Soren’s residence in south Delhi, seizing Rs 36 lakh in cash, two luxury cars (reportedly BMWs), and incriminating documents during the 13-hour operation. This search was part of the money laundering case probe linked to an alleged land deal in Jharkhand.

The federal agency had recorded Soren’s statement for the first time on January 20 under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) during a nearly seven-hour visit to his Ranchi home. However, the inquiry was not completed, leading to fresh summons being issued for January 29 or January 31.

The case under investigation involves a large-scale racket concerning the illegal change of ownership of land in Jharkhand. It centers around the purchase and sale of army-occupied land based on falsified information. The Enforcement Directorate has already arrested 14 individuals in connection with the case, including Chhavi Ranjan, a former IAS officer.

As the developments unfold, the political landscape in Jharkhand is undergoing significant turbulence, with the ED’s investigation shedding light on alleged financial improprieties. The CM’s claims of a politically motivated agenda by the ED add another layer to the already complex situation, leaving citizens and political observers awaiting the outcome of the questioning and its potential impact on the state government’s functioning.