Following recent summonses from the Enforcement Directorate (ED), the Chief Minister of Jharkhand travels to Delhi.

on

Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren went to Delhi unexpectedly because the Enforcement Directorate asked him to join an investigation in a money laundering case. His trip wasn't planned, and it happened after the ED issued a new summons. The ED had previously questioned him on January 20 but didn't finish, leading to the fresh summons. The investigation is about illegal changes in land ownership in Jharkhand by a criminal group. Soren's party, JMM, protested the ED's actions, claiming it was a conspiracy by the BJP to destabilize the elected government.

 

The ED had sought Soren's participation in further questioning, presenting two options for his availability on either January 29 or January 31. The Chief Minister's Office remained silent on the purpose of the visit, but an anonymous official mentioned that it was unplanned and was prompted by the recently issued summons. Soren had prior commitments, including scheduled events in Chaibasa on January 29, Palamu on January 30, and Giridih on January 31.

 

While sources suggested that Soren visited Delhi for legal consultations, the Chief Minister's Office did not confirm this information. Earlier, the ED had recorded Soren's statement on January 20 at his official residence under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The issuance of fresh summons indicated that the questioning on that day had not been completed.

The ED's investigation revolves around a significant racket involving the illegal alteration of land ownership orchestrated by a criminal syndicate in Jharkhand. The agency has already made 14 arrests in connection with the case, including Chhavi Ranjan, a 2011-batch IAS officer who served in key positions in the state's Social Welfare Department and as deputy commissioner of Ranchi.

In response to the ED's actions, Soren's political party, JMM, organized protests against the fresh summons. Hundreds of JMM workers gathered in Morabadi Grounds, staging a protest march to the Raj Bhavan. The protesters alleged a conspiracy by the BJP to destabilize the democratically elected government in the state, asserting that central agencies like the ED and CBI were being misused for political purposes.