New Delhi: Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren said he holds a constitutional post and would not flee the country, dismissing charges against him in an alleged mining scam and questioning the way the probe is being conducted by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).
He appeared before the central agency’s office in Ranchi for questioning on Thursday, November 17.
Soren faces the threat of disqualification as an MLA for awarding himself a mining contract, which could possibly have a domino effect and could strip him of the chief minister’s position.
“I hold a constitutional post as chief minister. But the way the probe is going, the way I’m summoned, it’s like they think I am the kind of person who would flee the country. I can’t remember anyone other than big businessmen having fled the country. No politician has fled like that,” he said, addressing his supporters outside his home in Ranchi minutes before he went to the ED office for questioning, according to NDTV.
The Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) leader said the alleged scam is “part of a larger conspiracy by the BJP’s central government to destabilise” his government. He said that the Union government “will soon go after more leaders from Opposition-ruled states”.
He urged the ED to refrain from making “sensational statements” on illegal mining “without ascertaining the facts and figures”.
In a letter to the ED, Soren, who appeared before the officials of the agency during the day for his questioning in a mining lease case in Sahebganj, also said that former JMM member Ravi Kejriwal had made false allegations to “implicate him” in the case at the behest of the BJP.
The CM stated that Kejriwal who was removed from his party, “has become my sworn enemy and I would not be surprised if he has made false allegations against me to settle personal scores”.
JMM workers protest over the summoning of Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren by the Enforcement Directorate in a money laundering case linked to alleged illegal mining, in Ranchi, November 17, 2022. Photo: PTI
The ED summoned Soren to its regional office here for interrogation in a money laundering case linked to alleged illegal mining in Sahebganj.
The agency said it has “identified” proceeds of crime related to the case to the tune of Rs 1,000 crore till now.
“In order to evade royalty of Rs 1,000 crore over 8 crore MT of stone is required to be illegally mined in Sahebganj, that is more than four times the legally mined quantity,” the CM pointed out.
Soren, in the letter, stated that the “aggregate royalty income from stone mining in the entire state of Jharkhand for the last two years has been around Rs 750 crore against which you (ED) claim that illegally mined stone in Sahebganj alone is Rs 1000 crore”.
The CM requested the agency to carry out a fair and impartial investigation without “any hidden agenda or motive”.
Meanwhile, Soren also demanded governor Ramesh Bais “open the envelope” quickly, referring to a recommendation made by the Election Commission on his possible disqualification as an MLA in the face of corruption allegations against him.
“The governor has said he’s sought a ‘second opinion’. But we have asked the Election Commission, and we’ve been told there is no such opinion sought. I’ve heard the Governor is waiting for something,” NDTV quoted Soren as saying while addressing his supporters outside his home before leaving for questioning at the ED office.
Thousands of JMM workers from across Jharkhand gathered in Ranchi on Thursday to show solidarity with Soren.
The Jharkhand Mukti Morcha supporters, holding placards bearing messages such as “ED, CBI ka durupayog bandh karo (stop misuse of ED, and CBI)” and “Hemant Soren zindabad‘, assembled at Ranchi’s Morabadi Ground and marched towards the CM house.
They raised slogans against the BJP and the central agencies.
“The Hemant Soren government is being harassed by the opposition through the central agencies. We came here to support our chief minister,” said JMM supporter Sukumar Munda, who came from Garhwa.
(With PTI inputs)
