A forceful campaign against corruption has been initiated by the Enforcement Directorate (ED). The Chief Minister of Jharkhand, Hemant Soren, is being vigorously sought after in Delhi by the ED team. Hemant Soren has yet to be found, though, and this raises questions because a state’s chief minister appears to have vanished out of fear of ED. Hemant Soren’s whereabouts are still unknown, which adds an element of surprise to the events that are occurring even though the Chief Minister’s office in Jharkhand has announced that he will appear for the ED probe on January 31.
The harsh warning from ED: “If you don’t come, we will”
In Delhi, the ED team is looking for Hemant Soren very carefully. Hemant Soren has not yet been found by the ED, but in response to the ED’s summons, the Chief Minister’s office said that Hemant Soren will show up at the ED office in Ranchi on January 31 at 1:00 PM. Interestingly, Hemant Soren was summoned by the ED for a land scam, and he was told to record his statement between January 29 and January 31. The ED threatened to send a team to bring him in if he did not show up willingly.
Concerns about an arrest when CM vanished?
Hemant Soren received the ED summons, attended a programme on January 27 at the Raj Bhavan in Ranchi, and then left for Delhi. The ED team came to Delhi after he left to try and find him. Hemant Soren may be arrested today, despite the fact that they have taken significant documents from his home.
The ED summons may be challenged in court by the Supreme Court.
It is said that Hemant Soren and senior counsel Kapil Sibal met on Sunday, and the Chief Minister may file a case before the Supreme Court contesting the ED summons. There is a sense of mystery and uncertainty around the events that are taking place in Jharkhand despite the order for CM Soren to appear before the ED today.