‘Arrest Me If I’ve Committed a Crime’, Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren Skips ED Summons, Seeks 3 Weeks’ Time

Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren, who has been summoned by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday in a money laundering case linked to alleged illegal mining in the state, asked the agency to come and arrest him if he has committed a crime.

“I’ve been summoned by ED today when I already have a program in Chhattisgarh today. If I’ve committed a crime that big, come and arrest me. Why the questioning?… Security near the ED office has increased. Why, are you scared of Jharkhandis?” the CM said while speaking at a gathering.

The JMM chief further said, “We have identified a few external gangs in the state who are not letting the state’s Adivasis stand on their feet. This state will have the rule of Jharkhandis and not external forces… BJP will be wiped off in the upcoming Lok Sabha and Assembly polls.”

Meanwhile, sources told News18 that Soren has sought three weeks’ time from the ED to appear for the questioning. The CM sought the time due to his prior engagements. He had earlier said that he will “not go for interrogation,” according to sources. He was asked to appear before the ED at its regional office in Ranchi’s Hinoo area at 11 am on Thursday. But sources said that the chief minister was already scheduled to go to Raipur today.

Reacting to the summons, the JMM boss took to Twitter, and said that the BJP was “misusing” central institutions as it cannot face him politically.

ED has claimed that they have identified proceeds of over Rs 1,000 crore in crimes related to illegal mining in Jharkhand and has requested Soren’s questioning under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

Till now, the central agency has arrested Soren’s political aide Pankaj Mishra and two others, a local muscleman Bachhu Yadav and Prem Prakash in this case.

“We have also been called on the request of our Opposition. An attempt has been made to show how powerful the ED is… the people will give them the answer for every conspiracy,” the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha leader tweeted.

ED’s probe began on July 8 this year, when it raided 19 locations including Sahibganj, Barhait, Rajmahal, Mirza Chauki and Barharwa.

According to the ED, “the investigation revealed that Mishra, who enjoys political clout, being the representative of the chief minister, MLA from Barhait, Sahibganj, Jharkhand controls the illegal mining businesses as well as inland ferry services in Sahibganj and its adjoining areas through his accomplices.

“He exercises considerable control over the mining of stone chips and boulders as well as installation and operations of several crushers, set up across various mining sites in Sahibganj,” the ED alleged.

In a chargesheet filed by ED, it said it recovered a sealed envelope containing a passbook and two cheque books containing two signed cheques associated with the bank account in the name of Shri Hemant Soren held with Bank of India, Sahibganj.

Among other items seized by the ED include “one yellow color file marked as April 2019 to June 2022 having all bank details of Hemant Soren” and his family members, the agency said in the charge sheet.

Till now, in the illegal mining and extortion case, 47 search operations have been conducted and cash worth Rs 5.34 crore has been recovered and bank balances of Rs 13.32 crore have been frozen.

Apart from this, an inland water vessel worth Rs 30 crore has been seized along with 5 stone crushers, 2 trucks and two AK 47 assault rifles according to the ED, PTI reported. The weapons were later claimed by Jharkhand police as its own.

With agency inputs

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