Former Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren found himself in the custody of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Wednesday night, just moments after stepping down from his position. Soren, who was arrested in connection with an alleged land scam in the state, expressed his unwavering determination not to accept defeat.
Addressing the situation for the first time after his arrest, Soren stated, “It’s a break. Life is a great battle. I have fought every moment, and I will continue to fight every moment. But I will not beg for compromise. I will not give up in vain, and I will not accept defeat. Jai Jharkhand!”
यह एक विराम है
जीवन महासंग्राम है
हर पल लड़ा हूं, हर पल लड़ूंगा
पर समझौते की भीख मैं लूंगा नहींक्या हार में, क्या जीत में
किंचित नहीं भयभीत मैं
लघुता न अब मेरी छुओ
तुम हो महान, बने रहोअपने लोगों के हृदय की वेदना
मैं व्यर्थ त्यागूंगा नहीं
हार मानूंगा नहीं…जय झारखण्ड! pic.twitter.com/oduWMRGOmQ
— Hemant Soren (@HemantSorenJMM) January 31, 2024
ED apprehended the 48-year-old politician in Ranchi, taking him to their office for further investigation. This development occurred just 48 hours after the ED’s meticulously planned operation in Delhi failed to capture Soren, who managed to evade their teams at both his residence and the airport in the national capital. He traveled by road to reach Ranchi on Tuesday.
Also read: Former Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren Arrested by ED in Connection with Alleged Land Scam
An officer from the Enforcement Directorate revealed, “We have evidence that Hemant Soren had acquired a parcel of land under investigation in Jharkhand, which was allegedly obtained illegally by others through falsified documents.”
The arrest was facilitated by the involvement of a Kolkata-based businessman, Amit Kumar Agarwal, who was arrested by the probe agency on June 7 last year. Agarwal is suspected to be linked to illicit funds involving various politicians, including the former chief minister of Jharkhand, as suggested in a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed in the Jharkhand High Court in 2021 by lawyer Rajeev Kumar.
Also read: Former Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren Arrested by ED in Connection with Alleged Land Scam
Despite evading ED questioning on multiple occasions since August of the previous year, Hemant Soren eventually agreed to be interrogated on January 20 at his Ranchi residence. Following this, the agency summoned him to appear on January 29 or 31. The ED team reached his official residence on Wednesday, questioning him for nearly seven hours before formally arresting him at the ED’s Ranchi office, coinciding with his resignation submitted to the governor.
Officials have indicated that Soren will be presented before a court on Thursday, during which the agency will clarify the specific charges against him. The unfolding situation adds a new layer of complexity to the political landscape in Jharkhand.
