CM Hemant Soren / JMM lodged FIR against ED officials, accused of harassing Soren

CM Hemant Soren: While on one hand the Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials are interrogating Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren at his residence in Ranchi in connection with the land scam and money laundering case, on the other hand, Hemant Soren's party Jharkhand Mukti Morcha is questioning the ED officials. A police complaint has been lodged against him. On the basis of this complaint, the police have registered an FIR. Meanwhile, Jharkhand Home Secretary Avinash Kumar has been removed, in his place Jharkhand Chief Secretary L Khangayte has been given the responsibility of Home Secretary.

According to the information, a case has been registered by JMM under SC ST Act. At present the ED team is interrogating Hemant Soren in the land scam. According to the information, in the complaint given by Jharkhand Mukti Morcha in SCST police station, it was alleged that CM Hemant Soren is being tortured. On the basis of this complaint, the police have registered an FIR.

Earlier, ED officials started questioning Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren at his residence in a money laundering case related to the land scam amid heavy security cover. Hemant Soren, who is also the working president of the ruling Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), was earlier questioned in the same case on January 20. An officer said that the interrogation could not be completed that day. That day, Soren was interrogated for more than seven hours.

Before questioning, alliance MLAs reached Soren's residence.

ED officials said Soren is being interrogated as part of the investigation into 'a huge racket of illegal change of land ownership by the mafia' in Jharkhand. Before the ED started questioning the Chief Minister, JMM alliance MLAs reached his residence here in the morning. Health Minister and Congress leader Banna Gupta said that Soren is cooperating in the investigation. He also said that it is the duty of constitutional institutions to conduct such investigations “properly”.

Section 144 implemented within 100 meters of CM residence

Meanwhile, JMM supporters protested at nearby Morhabadi ground and some other places against the ED action against Soren. A protester said, “On the instructions of the Centre, the ED is deliberately harassing our Chief Minister. We will impose economic blockade of the entire state. Prohibitory order has been imposed under Section 144 from 9 am to 10 pm in the main places of the capital and within a radius of 100 meters of the Chief Minister's residence.