Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren accuses ED of being ‘politically motivated’, having agenda to disrupt state govt

Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren has written a letter to the Enforcement Directorate (ED). 

“You are well aware that the Budget Session of the Legislative Assembly will be held between 2nd and 29th February 2024 and the undersigned will be preoccupied with preparations for the same apart from other prior scheduled official engagements," reads the letter.

“In these circumstances, your insistence to record a further statement of the undersigned on or before 31st January 2024 rocks 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," he further wrote.

“The undersigned's apprehensions that your acts are malefic and politically motivated stand vindicated. The issuance of summon to the undersigned is wholly vexatious and in the colourable exercise of powers given by the statute," the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) leader added.

On January 29, An ED team visited Soren's Delhi residence to question him in connection with a money laundering investigation. It camped there for over 13 hours and .

Official sources claimed ED could not contact the Jharkhand CM as he was “". However, a family member said it was a "false" narrative to "delegitimise" Soren's position.

The anonymous member also claimed that there were repeated communications to ED and compliance with the summons including willingness to record his statement on January 31 at 1 pm at his Ranchi residence.

The ED earlier questioned the Jharkhand CM at his official residence in Ranchi on January 20.  It issued a fresh summons to Soren asking him to confirm his availability for questioning on either January 29 or January 31.

(With agency inputs)