Report Wire

Tag: ED

  • Hemant Soren ED looking for Hemant Soren

    New Delhi/Ranchi. The Enforcement Directorate i.e. ED team is searching for Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren. On Monday, the ED team reached the Chief Minister’s house in Shanti Niketan, New Delhi in search of him but he was not found at his house. It is noteworthy that the Chief Minister had come to Delhi by a special flight on the evening of 27 January. Before that, he had received summons from ED, in which he was asked to be available for questioning between 29 and 31 January. It was only after this summons that he suddenly left for Delhi.

    However, on Monday, the Chief Minister’s party Jharkhand Mukti Morcha informed that he has informed the ED through email that he will be available for questioning after 1 pm on January 31. The party said that despite being ready for questioning, the ED reached the Chief Minister’s residence to harass and defame him. It is being told that the ED team has also searched the CM’s residence in Shanti Niketan. It is noteworthy that ED has issued summons to the Chief Minister 10 times in the alleged land related scam.

    Earlier, on January 20, the ED had recorded the Chief Minister’s statement under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, PMLA, at his official residence. Then ED had told that its inquiry has not been completed hence summons has been issued to him again. Meanwhile, regarding the ED action taken at the Delhi residence of Chief Minister Hemant Soren, Jharkhand State President of Congress Rajesh Thakur said in Ranchi that a rumor is being spread that the CM is missing. He said that this is being done to impose President’s rule by creating an atmosphere of chaos in the state.

    Jharkhand Mukti Morcha General Secretary Supriyo Bhattacharya said that Chief Minister Hemant Soren has given time to the ED for questioning on the email. CM is ready for questioning on January 31 at 1 pm. He said- ED’s action is undemocratic. Meanwhile, JMM workers have gathered in Morhabadi area of ​​Ranchi to protest against the ED action and want to march to Raj Bhavan. However, security arrangements have been tightened around the Chief Minister’s residence and Governor Bhawan. Security of the state office of BJP and important leaders of all parties has also been increased.

    Amidst the news of ED action and Chief Minister’s disappearance, Jharkhand Governor CP Radhakrishnan said on Monday – If the Chief Minister is not answering today then he will have to answer tomorrow. As a true citizen we must obey. The law and order situation is not very satisfactory. I have expressed this many times. Action will have to be taken. Meanwhile, it is also being said that no one has any information about Chief Minister Soren’s whereabouts since Sunday. There is also talk that the Chief Minister may be arrested. In view of this, the police in Jharkhand have been alerted. Leaves of policemen have also been cancelled.

  • ED is interrogating Vinod Singh, close to Hemant Soren

    Vinod Singh:- ED is once again interrogating Vinod Singh, close to former Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren, on Friday. The agency has extracted 539 pages of records of his WhatsApp chatting with Hemant Soren. In this chatting, there are details related to various types of deals ranging from offers of huge amount for transfer-posting of officers. ED would like to know from Vinod Singh what responses he had given to the messages he had sent to Hemant Soren through WhatsApp. What was the result of the recommendation he had made for transfer-posting of officers and how much money did he get in return for it and to whom did this money reach? Vinod Singh has also shared many types of documents with Hemant Soren on WhatsApp, including the admit cards of the candidates of Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission examination. CM Hemant Soren’s troubles have increased further after these details of WhatsApp chatting came to light.

    ED had also asked Hemant Soren for his mobile, but he refused to give it. Now Vinod Singh can be made to sit in front of Hemant Soren and interrogated. It is noteworthy that Vinod Singh is a well-known architect of Ranchi and has been close to Hemant Soren. ED had raided his premises in the beginning of January and seized mobile phones, electronic devices and many documents. Apart from Vinod Singh, preparations are also going on to interrogate Abhishek Prasad Pintu, who was the press advisor of Hemant Soren. ED had earlier sent summons to him, but he had sought time from the agency citing his wife’s illness. (IANS)

  • ED starts questioning Congress MP Dheeraj Sahu in Hemant Soren case

    Dheeraj Sahu:- ED is today interrogating Congress Rajya Sabha member Dheeraj Prasad Sahu in the money laundering case related to former Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren. Apart from this, Sahibganj DC Ramniwas Yadav has also reached the ED office today. The BMW car recovered by ED from Soren’s residence in Shantiniketan in Delhi on January 29 is being said to be related to Dheeraj Sahu. This car was registered at the address of Manesar, Haryana. On Wednesday, the ED team had knocked at this address. It was revealed that this property belonged to Dheeraj Sahu.

    After this, summons were issued to him and he was asked to reach ED’s Ranchi office today and record his statement. Sahu reached ED office at around 11 o’clock. ED would like to know from him why he gave BMW car to Hemant Soren? Apart from politics, what is his dealings with Hemant Soren? It is noteworthy that the biggest ever Income Tax raid was conducted on the residences and locations of Dheeraj Sahu in December last. In this raid, more than Rs 351 crore in cash was recovered from their locations in Odisha. Here, Deputy Commissioner of Sahibganj district Ramniwas Yadav also reached the ED office at around 11 am today on the summons of ED.

    In January, ED had recovered Rs 8 lakh in cash and 14 9 mm bullets during a raid at his official residence. ED had also searched two locations at his native place in Jaipur. There is information that many investment documents have been recovered from there. ED has also found in its investigation that Ramniwas Yadav did not withdraw money from his salary account for two years after posting as Sahibganj DC. ED has questioned him twice in the Sahibganj illegal mining scam on 23 January and 6 February last year. Now the scope of investigation in this case has increased further. (IANS)

  • Soren undertook ‘blatant’ misuse of power: ED tells PMLA court

    Ranchi, The ED on Wednesday produced WhatsApp chat records between former Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren and a close associate where information related to transfer and posting of state government officials involving “huge amount of money” is alleged to have been discussed. The Enforcement Directorate made the submission before a special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court in Ranchi while producing the 48yearold JMM leader on the expiry of his fiveday remand.

    After the ED informed the court of Special Judge Dinesh Rai that its investigation against Soren was “not restricted” to alleged fraudulent acquisition of a 8.5 acres land in Ranchi by him, but there are “several other properties linked to him (Soren)”, the court extended his custody by five days.

    Soren was arrested by the ED on January 31 from the Raj Bhavan after about seven hours of his questioning at his official residence at Kanke Road here. He resigned as the CM before the agency took him under custody. The ED told the court that during the time Soren was in its custody, “details of several other properties have also emerged, to which the accused person Shri Hemant Soren is neither divulging true information in his knowledge nor showing cooperation”.

    The federal agency said it was also undertaking raids in this case on Wednesday and it wanted to confront Soren with Bhanu Pratap Prasad, a revenue department subinspector, whom it has arrested in this case for allegedly conspiring with the former CM for allegedly acquiring 12 plots of land measuring about 8.5 acres.

    It informed the court that Soren was confronted with WhatsApp chats between him and his close associate Binod Singh which it claimed were “highly incriminating and contain details of several properties and had several confidential documents”. These chats “not only include exchange of confidential information regarding several properties but other incriminating information relating to transfer and posting, sharing of government records, etc., out of which huge amount of money appears to have been generated and transacted”. The agency claimed that Binod Singh also had WhatsApp chats with several other persons regarding transfer and posting of officials and sharing of several admit cards of students appearing for competitive exams held by the Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission.

    While appending some pictures of the WhatsApp exchanges between Soren and Binod Singh, the ED said these were only “a few samples” and such conversations run in over 530 pages.

    The ED said it requested the politician to produce the mobile phone on which he had conversations with Binod Singh but he “deliberately” did not furnish the device to “conceal facts and stall investigation relating to suspected proceedings of crime”.

    “The proceeds of crime acquired by him is not only restricted to the investigation of the property measuring 8.5 acres but there are several other properties linked to him (Soren) and investigation to identify the said proceeds of crime and its trail of money is essentially required at this stage,” the agency said.

    The ED, seeking further remand of Soren, told the court that Soren undertook “blatant misuse of power in hampering and frustrating the evidence” linked to the 8.5 acre measuring immovable asset.

    The agency said it issued the first summons to Soren for questioning on August 8, 2023 and called him for recording of his statement six days later on August 14.

    It claimed that a man identified as Raj Kumar Pahan filed a petition before the circle officer of Baragai in Ranchi on August 16 saying some people have got illegal ‘jamabandi’ (documents of legal rights) of his land and requested the authorities to save his land. .

    The land was resorted to Pahan on January 29 this year even as the agency said it was conducting raids in this case in Delhi that day, the ED said.

    It was alleged by the agency before the court that it seized documents related to this 8.5 acre land from the cupboard of Soren’s room that is located in a Delhi house.

    The agency also said that when it conducted the survey of this land in April last year, it met a ‘chowkidar’ (caretaker) posted at the property named Santosh Munda who told its officials that Soren and his wife Kalpana visited the property “two three times”.

    It is evident, the ED said, Soren “acquired proceedings of crime and also indulged in corrupt practice and misuse of position for destruction of evidence in order to conceal the proceeds of crime acquired by him to keep himself away from the property measuring 8.5 acres” .

    The agency also told the court that as Soren was taken to the Jharkhand assembly on February 5 and therefore a “substantial time passed out in arrangements and bringing him back to its office for investigation”.

    The ED sought Soren’s enhanced custody to “ascertain the source of funds” through which the said land was acquired and to confront him and other accused.

    (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel)

  • Hemant Soren ED Hemant’s meeting with MLAs before ED’s inquiry

    Ranchi. Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren reached Ranchi on Tuesday and held a meeting with the MLAs of the ruling alliance. On Wednesday, the Enforcement Directorate i.e. ED team will reach his official residence to interrogate him. Before that, the meeting held with the alliance MLAs is considered important. It is being said that he has considered the possibility of making his wife Kalpana Soren the leader of the legislature party. His wife also attended the meeting held at the Chief Minister’s residence on Tuesday night.

    Earlier in the day also a meeting of MLAs and other leaders was held. Before that, Chief Minister Hemant Soren had taken the blessings of his father Shibu Soren and mother Rupi Soren. Meanwhile, it has been told that seven MLAs of Jharkhand Mukti Morcha did not attend the meeting held on Tuesday evening. These also include Hemant Soren’s brother Basant Soren and sister-in-law Sita Soren. It is being told that these MLAs are angry with the proposal of Hemant Soren’s wife for the post of CM.

    However, Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren, who is surrounded by land scam, reached Ranchi on the afternoon of Tuesday, January 30. He was reported missing since Monday 29 January. After reaching Ranchi, he held a meeting with JMM, Congress and RJD MLAs during the day at CM House. Kalpana was also present in this meeting. After this, a meeting was also held in the evening, in which it is being told that Basant Soren, Sita Soren, Lobin Hembram, Ramdas Soren, Vikas Munda, Chamra Linda and Rabindranath Mahato did not reach.

  • Hemant Soren resigns as Jharkhand CM; senior leader Champai Soren’s name proposed as new CM

    Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren has submitted his resignation to the governor on Wednesday amid ongoing investigations by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) into an alleged “huge racket of illegal change of land ownership by the mafia” in the state. Following Hemant Soren’s resignation, Champai Soren is speculated to be the next Chief Minister of Jharkhand according to ANI. Champai Soren serves as a member of the Jharkhand Legislative Assembly. Affiliated with the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, he represents the Seraikella constituency in Jharkhand.As per JMM MP Mahua Maji, “The CM is in ED custody. The CM has gone to the Governor with the ED team to submit his resignation… Champai Soren will be the new Chief Minister… We have enough numbers…” Jharkhand Congress president Rajesh Thakur said, “CM Hemant Soren has decided to resign. Champai Soren has been chosen as the new leader of the Legislative party… All the MLAs are with us”. The conspiracy by the Modi government that was going on since 2019 to destabilize an elected government, they have insulted the mandate of 3.5 crore people. Without any fault, a popular CM (Hemant Soren) has been arrested. We will give a befitting reply,” says Jharkhand minister Mithilesh Kumar Thakur to ANI. Hemant Soren’s Legal ChallengesThe current Chief Minister, Hemant Soren, has been grappling with legal issues, including the filing of an FIR against ED officials and ongoing questioning in connection with a money laundering case linked to an alleged land scam. The uncertainty surrounding his political future has led to discussions about who might assume the leadership mantle.

    An ED team visited Chief Minister Hemant Soren’s residence in Delhi on Monday to question him regarding an ongoing case. Despite the chief minister’s absence, the ED team spent nearly 13 hours conducting searches, leading to the discovery of Rs 36 lakh in cash and incriminating documents. Additionally, a luxury SUV was seized from Soren’s residence during the operation. Security was also tightened and Section 144 imposed around the now former CM’s residence.

    (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel)

  • Hemant Soren ED interrogated Hemant Soren

    Ranchi. Amidst the protests by tribal groups and huge tension, the central agency Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Saturday interrogated Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren. The central agency interrogated the Chief Minister for about seven hours in the case related to the alleged land scam of Jharkhand. It is being told that the interrogation has not been completed and the agency will interrogate him once again, the date of which will be decided later. Earlier, ED had issued summons to Chief Minister Soren eight times. In response to the eighth letter, Hemant Soren had told ED that it can interrogate him at the Chief Minister’s residence.

    Then on Saturday, the ED team reached the Chief Minister’s residence with heavy security arrangements to interrogate Hemant Soren. Regarding this, security had already been increased outside the Chief Minister’s residence. However, for the last two days, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha workers and people from tribal organizations have been protesting in support of Hemant. Then the administration issued an order to impose Section 144 outside the CM House from 7 pm to 11 pm.

    However, on Saturday during the day the ED team reached CM House with a convoy of nine vehicles. It has been told that seven ED officials had reached Ranchi for questioning. Of these, three officers had come from Delhi. A person from Garhwa has tried to commit suicide in protest against the questioning of the CM. The police took him into custody and kept him in Argora police station. To avoid any such untoward incident, tight security arrangements have been made outside the CM residence and Section 144 has been imposed.

  • Soren told ED, come to CM House on January 20 and record my statement.

    Hemant Soren:- Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren wrote a letter to the ED asking the agency to come to the CM House on Kanke Road on the afternoon of January 20 and record his statement. In fact, the ED, which is investigating the land scam in Ranchi’s Badgai area, had sent summons to CM Soren for the eighth time and asked him to appear between January 16 and 20. The agency had asked him to inform them within two days by fixing the time and place for recording the statement. ED had told Soren that if he did not appear before the agency between January 16 and 20, then he would have to come to them himself. ED said that in such a situation, challenges may arise regarding law and order. This will be your responsibility and hence you should give appropriate instructions to the Chief Secretary and DGP of the state to maintain law and order.

    Meanwhile, a messenger of the CM Secretariat reached the ED’s zonal office on Airport Road in Ranchi on Monday afternoon with the CM’s letter in a sealed envelope. In this, the CM has asked ED to come to CM House to record the statement on January 20. It is noteworthy that ED wants to record the statement of CA Hemant Soren in connection with the investigation into the case of tampering and forgery in government documents related to the land of Bargain area of ​​Ranchi. ED has already arrested one and a half dozen people including IAS Chhavi Ranjan in this case. Now she wants to interrogate Hemant Soren on several points regarding his role in this episode. For this, summons were sent to him for the first time to appear on 14 August 2023. After this, summons were sent to appear between 24 August, 9 September, 23 September, 4 October, 12 December and 30 December to 5 January. (IANS)