Enforcement Directorate Visits Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren’s Delhi Residence Amid Land Fraud Probe

A team from the Enforcement Directorate (ED) conducted a visit to the Delhi residence of Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Monday, extending over 12 hours, for questioning regarding a land fraud case. The ED team, accompanied by Delhi Police personnel, stated that the Chief Minister could not be located at the time of their visit. In response, Mr. Soren sent a letter to the agency, alleging a “motivated political agenda” behind the investigation.

The ED teams will remain at the residence until Mr. Soren returns, with authorities also monitoring activities at the Delhi airport. The ED had previously questioned Mr. Soren at his official residence in Ranchi on January 20 and issued fresh summons for questioning on either January 29 or 31.

Despite the extended stay at his residence, Mr. Soren’s whereabouts remained unknown to the ED team. The Chief Minister had left Ranchi for Delhi on January 27, with his party citing personal reasons for the visit. However, the Jharkhand unit of the BJP claimed he had been “absconding” for the last 18 hours, urging the Governor to intervene.

In an email to the ED on Monday, Mr. Soren termed the summons as “wholly vexatious” and accused the agency of having a political agenda. He agreed to record his statement on January 31 at his residence, emphasizing the ED’s actions as “malafide and politically motivated.”

Governor Radhakrishnan advised Mr. Soren to comply with law enforcement agencies, expressing dissatisfaction with the state’s law-and-order situation. The ED’s probe is centered around money laundering allegations, with concerns raised about the case’s impact on the upcoming Assembly session scheduled between February 9 and 29.

JMM workers held protests and blocked roads in various districts, condemning the ED’s actions. Governor Radhakrishnan acknowledged concerns about the state’s law-and-order situation and emphasized the need for action. JMM countered, stating the Governor’s views are not applicable to political parties and accusing the BJP of using the Central agency to harass the Opposition ahead of the Lok Sabha election.