ED seizes Rs 36 lakh, two luxury cars from Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren's Delhi residence

The Enforcement Directorate has seized Rs 36 lakh in cash and two cars after it conducted searches at the residence of Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren, sources in the central agency said on Tuesday.

Officials of the ED on Monday searched Soren's residence in South Delhi in connection with a money laundering case linked to an alleged land scam case.

Meanwhile, Jharkhand Governor CP Radhakrishnan has summoned Chief Secretary L Khiangte, Director General of Police Ajay Kumar and Home Secretary Avinash Kumar to take stock of the law and order situation in the state.

Earlier today, BJP MP from Jharkhand, Nishikant Dubey said that he was "bowing his head in shame" as the Chief Minister of his state was a "baghoda" (on the run).

"Whenever he was used to get ED summons he (Soren) used to claim that he was not afraid of anyone, he was the son of Veer Shibu, a big man, the son of an adiasi, a fighter and one who wont be intimidated by anyone. Today when he is being summoned for questioning that means he must have committed some mistake.

"Yesterday Lalu Yadav ji showed the courage and was questioned by the ED for 10 hours. A 75 year old man faced the ED.....Even the PM when he was Gujarat CM had faced questioning whenever the agencies wanted....He (Soren) is running away from the agency, not facing it," he said.

The BJP MP alleged that Soren was "...Disappearing for last 48 hours, BMW that is before use is perhaps registered under the name of Vinod Singh - who was raided by the IT. Will the CM commute in a private vehicle? He is absconding and not facing the agency...As a voter, MP and citizen of Jharkhand, I am hanging my head in shame..."

As per sources, the ED had issued a fresh summons to Soren, asking him to be available for questioning on January 29 or 31, or else the agency itself will go to him for questioning. This is the tenth summons issued to the Jharkhand Chief Minister, by the ED.

Meanwhile, Soren in a letter to the Enforcement Directorate, said he will record his statement before the agency officials at 1 pm on Wednesday, January 31 at his residence in Ranchi.

The Jharkhand chief minister further alleged that questioning by the ED at a time when the Budget Session of the Legislative Assembly is scheduled (February 2- 29) "reeks 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."

Further, Dubey alled that the entire bureaucracy in Jharkhand has been put to work for the JMM.

"PM is likely to visit Dhanbad on February 4. You have also put the security of Prime Minister under a question mark. The entire administration is busy around the CM's residence in Ranchi. Today, the Chief Secretary of Jharkhand, DGP was called by the Parliamentary Committee on my privilege, but they did not go there. The entire bureaucracy has been made to work for the JMM," Dubey said.

The BJP MP has also requested the Governor send a report under Article 355 of the Constitution.

"I request the Governor to send a report under Article 355 of the Constitution. His (CM Soren's) brother and sister-in-law have spoken to me. They are all sad that this party (JMM) was formed by Shibu Sen and Durga Sen but he (CM) wants to give charge to his wife - nobody is agreeing to that and he is trying to get charge for his wife like an absconder. I think this is the best opportunity for President's Rule (in Jharkhand)," he added.

Jharkhand BJP President Babulal Marandi also slammed CM Soren and said that we will give a reward of Rs 11,000 to the person who can "find and bring the CM."
Section 144 CrPc was imposed within a 100-metre radius of CM Soren's residence, Raj Bhavan and ED office in Ranchi.