After relinquishing his position as Jharkhand chief minister, Hemant Soren was swiftly apprehended by the Enforcement Directorate on Wednesday under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in connection to an alleged land scam in the state, according to individuals familiar with the matter.
In a pre-arrest video statement, Soren asserted, “Today, the ED is coming to arrest me. Despite interrogating me throughout the day, they have opted to arrest me in a premeditated fashion, on charges that do not pertain to me. They (ED) have unearthed no substantiating evidence and even resorted to conducting raids in Delhi to besmirch my reputation.”
VIDEO | "The ED has come to arrest me today. After questioning me for the entire day, they have decided to arrest me in a planned manner, on an issue which is not linked to me. They (ED) found no evidence, they even tried to tarnish my image by conducting raids in Delhi," said… pic.twitter.com/cnOfDkJiVp
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) February 1, 2024
Reports indicate that Soren had requested the ED to allow him to tender his resignation before formalizing his arrest, a request to which the investigators acceded. Governor CP Radhakrishnan accepted his resignation.
Opting for continuity, Soren nominated Champai Soren, a close aide of his father, as his successor.
Earlier on Wednesday, Soren filed a First Information Report (FIR) against senior ED officials at the SC/ST police station, alleging harassment and defamation following searches conducted by the agency at his residence in Delhi.
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