After political turmoil in Bihar, it seems like it is not time for its neighbor Jharkhand. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has amped its crackdown on Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren in a money laundering case. Hemant Soren who was supposed to appear before the ED on January 29, 2024, reportedly is 'missing'. However, reports suggest that Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren wrote an email to the ED on Tuesday, agreeing to record his statement before the agency on January 31 at 1 pm at his residence. Before Soren's interrogation, ED amped up its searches.
As per reports, an ED Official stated that Jharkhand CM Soren is 'missing' for the past 24 hours. However, his party Jharkhand Mukti Morcha has said the Chief Minister is safe and in touch with them. As per ED, they have no information about Hemant Soren's whereabouts. The chartered plane on which he travelled from Ranchi to Delhi is parked at Delhi airport. The phones of several people part of his staff are switched off. His BMW car in Delhi has been seized by the ED. His driver has also been interrogated, however, nothing has been found out.
During the ED raid, some documents and cash worth Rs 36 lakh have been recovered. ED officials on Monday visited his homes in Delhi and the Jharkhand Bhavan, but could not find him. Reports suggest that Jharkhand CM Soren left his Delhi residence late on Sunday night. Jharkhand BJP President Babulal Marandi reportedly alleged that according to some reports, Hemant Soren "ran away from his Delhi home on foot late at night".
Marandi on his X handle wrote, "The Chief Minister of our state has been missing for the last 40 hours due to fear of the central agencies and has again run away, hiding his face. This is not only a threat to the personal security of the Chief Minister, but the safety, honor, and dignity of the 3.5 crore people of Jharkhand is also in danger."
It is pertinent to mention here that BJP MP and Jharkhand leader Nishikant Dubey has claimed that plans are afoot to name Soren's wife Kalpana as the Chief Minister of Jharkhand if he gets arrested.