SUBHASH MISHRA
Ranchi, Jan 31: As per the scheduled programme, officials of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) reached Chief Minister Hemant Soren’s Kanke road based official residence amidst tight security at 1 pm and began interrogation in the alleged Ranchi land scam.
ED officials in nine Innova and other cars reached the CM residence at 1.20 pm. Before entry, the Special Branch officials verified the Identity cards of ED officials.
In the wake of the ED’s interrogation of Hemant Soren, from the security point of view, a prohibitory order under Section 144 has been clamped at three places, including near the chief minister’s residence, Raj Bhawan and the ED office. Heavy forces have also been deployed at the BJP office. Barricades have been put up on roads at several spots to stop the movement of people.
The situation in the state capital looks tense due to interrogation but under the control of the administration as protesters were seen nowhere on the roads.
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A senior police official said that the administration taking lessons from the January 20 incident when Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) workers stormed to chief minister’s residence, heavy police forces have been deployed under an executive magistrate at all sensitive places in Ranchi. Even traffic movement on Kanke Road near the chief minister’s residence has been diverted.
Since August 23, 2023, the ED has served 10 summons to Chief Minister Hemant Soren for interrogation in money laundering related to the Ranchi army land scam so far. Hemant Soren had faced ED at his residence only on January 20, 2024. On that day ED officials had interrogated him for more than 7 hours.
Meanwhile in the wake of ED interrogation of Hemant Soren, JMM MLAs and ministers were also seen reaching the chief minister’s residence. Even JMM Rajya Sabha MP Mahua Majhi reached the CM house skipping parliament’s winter session which began today.
All eyes rest on Sita Soren
Meantime as the interrogation of Hemant Soren began, all eyes rested on the course of action of Sita Soren, Jama MLA and elder daughter-in-law of JMM supremo Shibu Soren.
Three-time Jama MLA Sita Soren, who missed Tuesday evening’s meeting of the party, is in Delhi and will reach Ranchi from Indigo plane at 5 pm. She has openly opposed the possible step of making Kalpna Soren, wife of Hemant Soren as chief minister. Being an active politician and elder daughter-in-law of Shibu Soren she claimed to be his heir apparent.
