The News Freedom
Ranchi, January 31
The head of Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) and former Chief Minister of Jharkhand, Hemant Soren, was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in Ranchi at around 9.33 pm on Wednesday. Just hours before his arrest, Soren submitted his resignation, potentially paving the way for his loyalist, Champai Soren, to take the helm as Chief Minister. This move likely aims to maintain party stability in the midst of this brewing turmoil.
Soren now faces confinement in a makeshift camp jail set up in Dayanand Nagar. The dramatic shift began around 5:30 pm when two minibuses pulled into Soren’s residence, fueling speculation. Soon after, Chief Secretary L Khyangate and DGP Ajay Kumar Singh arrived, setting the stage for a night of reckoning. This marked the culmination of a tense week characterized by ED raids, counter-accusations, and escalating political drama.
The ED’s pursuit of Soren stemmed from alleged money laundering tied to an illegal land scam in Ranchi. He had consistently refused to appear before the agency despite multiple summons, including for November 2021’s illegal mining case and more recent questioning concerning suspicious financial transactions connected to the land deal.
The saga doesn’t end there. Prior to the arrest, the Jharkhand Police, at Soren’s behest, registered an FIR against senior ED officials under the SC/ST Act, accusing them of harassment and discrimination during the residence raid. This act of defiance highlights the deepening rift between Soren and the investigating agency.
In his police complaint, Soren paints a picture of malicious intent, accusing the ED of orchestrating a media spectacle to malign his reputation and target his community. This narrative adds a layer of political and social tension to the legal proceedings.