English
Ranchi: Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren has filed a police complaint against Enforcement Directorate officials under the SC/ST act over the probe agency’s recent searches at his Delhi residence. According to officials, Soren, who is currently being grilled by ED sleuths in connection with a money laundering case, has lodged a complaint against the agency’s personnel at a SC/ST police station in Ranchi.
The police complaint was registered in connection with the central probe agency’s recent search operation at Hemant Soren’s Delhi residence, news agency PTI report, citing sources.
“An FIR has been lodged against some senior ED officials… we got the application from the chief minister,” said Ranchi Senior Superintendent of Police, Chandan Kumar Sinha. However, the officer did not provide any further details about the nature of the FIR.
On Monday (January 29), ED sleuthed searched Hemant Soren’s Delhi home and camped there for almost 13 hours to question him in a money laundering case linked to an alleged land deal in Jharkhand.
During the search, the ED– which probes financial crimes– claimed to have seized Rs 36 lakh, an SUV and some “incriminating” documents allegedly connected to the purported money laundering case against the Jharkhand Chief Minister.
Soren is presently being questioned by ED sleuths at his Ranchi residence in connection with the same case.
Accompanied by a heavy security cover, ED personnel on Wednesday began questioning Soren for the second time in less than a fortnight.
48-year-old Soren, who is also the executive president of the ruling Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), had earlier been questioned in connection with the alleged money laundering case on January 20.
The interrogation, however, remained incomplete on that day when he was grilled for more than seven hours, an official said.
Soren is being questioned as part of a probe into a “huge racket of illegal change of ownership of land by the mafia” in Jharkhand, ED officials have said.
Legislators of the ruling JMM-led coalition gathered at Soren’s residence to express their solidarity with the CM.
Health Minister and Congress leader Banna Gupta said Soren is cooperating in the investigation, but added that it was the duty of constitutional institutions to conduct such probes “properly”.
State Agriculture Minister Badal Patralekh told news agency PTI that all legislators stand solidly behind the chief minister.
Meanwhile, JMM supporters were seen protesting at the nearby Morabadi Ground and in some other places in protest against the ED action against Soren.
“Our chief minister is being deliberately harassed by the ED on directions from the Centre… We will resort to economic blockade in the entire state,” one of the agitators said.
Security personnel escorting the ED officials are equipped with high-resolution body cameras to keep track of the activities around Soren’s residence, amid heavy police deployment there.
Prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the CrPC are effective from 9 am to 10 pm within a radius of 100 metres at key locations in the state capital, including the CM House.
(With PTI inputs)
For breaking news and live news updates, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter and Instagram. Read more on Latest Jharkhand News on India.com.
