Jharkhand CM Chairs Meeting Amid Allegations, ED Probe

Ranchi: Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren chaired a meeting with ministers of his ruling coalition on Tuesday amid allegations by the BJP that the JMM chief was "absconding" to avoid the Enforcement Directorate's probe into an alleged land scam case.

The chief of Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) was seen coming out of his residence in Ranchi today ahead of the meeting.

The Chief Minister's Office in Jharkhand released pictures of Soren's meeting with alliance party leaders today.

On Monday, officials from the ED had visited Soren's residence in Delhi to question him. The central agency seized two cars and Rs 36 lakh but did not find the JMM leader.

Following this, BJP MP Nishikant Dubey alleged that the Jharkhand CM was a "bhagoda" (on the run) and that there was a proposal to make Soren's wife Chief Minister of the state.

In a post on social media platform X, Dubey said, "Hemant Soren ji has called his own, JMM, Congress and allied MLAs to reach Ranchi with their luggage and bags. According to the information, there is a proposal to make Kalpana Soren ji (Hemant Soren's wife) Chief Minister."

As per sources, the ED had issued a fresh summons to Soren, asking him to be available for questioning on January 29 or 31, or else the agency itself will go to him for questioning. This is the tenth summons issued to the Jharkhand Chief Minister, by the ED.

Soren, in a letter to the Enforcement Directorate, said he will record his statement before the agency officials at 1 pm on Wednesday, January 31 at his residence in Ranchi.

The Jharkhand chief minister alleged that questioning him at this time was more political and was meant to disrupt the functioning of his government.

Questioning by the ED at a time when the Budget Session of the Legislative Assembly is scheduled (February 2- 29) "reeks of malice" and "reveals your political agenda to disrupt the functioning of the State Government and prevent an elected representative of the people from discharging his official duties," the letter read.

Section 144 CrPc was imposed within a 100-metre radius of CM Soren's residence, Raj Bhavan and ED office in Ranchi.