Ranchi: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) team has reached the CM residence on Kanke Road to interrogate Chief Minister Hemant Soren. ED team has reached CM residence in 6 vehicles. Three officers from Delhi are also present with the team.
The ED team entered the CM residence at 1.03 pm. Before entering the CM residence, the list of ED officials was matched with the list of ED officers with the Special Branch policemen at the gate. The ED team can ask questions related to the financial sources of property acquired by the CM and his family members. Besides, the Chief Minister’s statement on related points will also be recorded.
During this time, complete preparations have been made for law and order along with security of ED office and officers. SSP Chandan Kumar Sinha is also present outside the CM House. He has taken charge of the security arrangements outside the CM House.
A total of 900 police officers and soldiers have been deployed for security from the ED office to the Chief Minister’s residence. Barricading has been done outside the ED office and the Chief Minister’s residence. ED had called the CM for questioning for the first time on August 14, but even after six summons, letters from the CM kept reaching the ED office, but the CM did not agree to the ED’s request. Did not appear in front. After this, ED had written about sending the seventh summons to the CM and giving him a last chance. After not appearing even on the seventh summons, ED again sent summons and letter citing legal procedures. Which was considered as the eighth summons of ED.
Chief Minister Hemant Soren will be questioned on the ownership rights of 4.55 acres of land in Badgai and its purchase. The documents of this land were found on 13 April 2023 from the place of Revenue Sub-Inspector Bhanu Pratap Prasad of Badgai circle, then during interrogation, Bhanu and Badgai CO Manoj Kumar had told the agency officials that this land belonged to the CM.
CM Hemant Soren had written a letter to ED officials on January 15, giving permission for them to come to his government office on Kanke Road on January 20 for questioning. The letter was sent to the zonal office of ED through an employee of the Chief Minister’s Office. There was talk of setting the date as 20th January. With this, ED had started preparations for interrogation.
In its last summons, the ED had requested the Chief Minister to fix the time, date and place. ED will come for questioning accordingly. Regarding not appearing on the summons, ED had said in the letter sent to the Chief Minister that it has got the powers to take action in case of violation of PML Act. The ED had asked him to clarify between January 16 and 20 whether he would come to the ED office himself or call the ED for questioning.
ED had also mentioned in its letter that if any action is taken, there will be a possibility of law and order being disturbed. In such a situation, the Chief Minister should also issue instructions to his concerned senior officers to handle law and order, so that the situation does not worsen.
ED had also written a letter to the Chief Secretary, DGP and Ranchi SSP regarding maintaining security and law and order during the interrogation of the CM. After receiving the ED letter, Ranchi Police has made tight security arrangements outside the CM House and ED’s Ranchi Zonal Office.
pecial escort arrangements were made from the ED office to the CM House for the ED officers who would go to the CM House for questioning. ED had sent the first summons on August 14, 2023 to take the statement of CM Hemant Soren in the money laundering case related to the land scam.
The second summons was issued on 24 August, the third summons on 9 September, the fourth summons on 23 September, the fifth summons on 4 October and the sixth summons on 12 December. But the method of the seventh summons changed.
ED told the CM that he should come to the ED office to record his statement between December 30 and January 5 or decide the place himself. For the eighth time, ED issued a letter on January 13 and made it clear that if you do not come between January 16 and 20, then the team will have to come to you itself.