ED Raids Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren’s Delhi Residence in Money Laundering Probe
New Delhi, 29th January 2024: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) paid an unplanned visit to the Delhi residence of Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren on January 29 as part of an ongoing money laundering investigation. This move prompted the Chief Minister’s unscheduled visit to the national capital in response to a recent summons issued by the ED.
The purpose of Soren’s impromptu visit sparked speculation, particularly as it aligned with the ED’s summoning of him for questioning, scheduled for either January 29 or January 31.
While the Chief Minister’s Office did not confirm reports suggesting legal consultations, an anonymous official clarified that the trip was initiated after the issuance of a fresh summons by the ED. Soren, having prior commitments in Chaibasa on January 29, Palamu on January 30, and Giridih on January 31, found himself in a challenging schedule situation.
The ED had previously recorded Soren’s statement on January 20 at his official residence under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The issuance of a new summons indicates that the ED’s questioning was not concluded during the earlier session.
The money laundering investigation revolves around an alleged “huge racket of illegal change of ownership of land by the mafia” in Jharkhand, according to the agency. So far, the ED has arrested 14 individuals in connection with this case, including Chhavi Ranjan, a 2011-batch IAS officer who served as the director of the state’s Social Welfare Department and deputy commissioner of Ranchi.
In response to the fresh summons, Soren’s political party, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), organized protests against the ED’s actions. Hundreds of JMM workers gathered at Morabadi Grounds in Ranchi, expressing concerns about what they perceived as a conspiracy by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to destabilize the democratically elected government in the state. They accused central agencies like the ED and CBI of being misused for political purposes.
