'Arrest Me Instead Of Questioning': Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren Skips ED Summons

Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren said “If I am guilty, why are you questioning me? Just come and arrest me if you can.”

Ranchi: Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren arrives to address JMM workers and supporters outside his residence, in Ranchi (Source: PTI)

New Delhi: Calling central probe agency ED's summons to him “part of a plot to harass a tribal chief minister”, Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren said “If I am guilty, why are you questioning me? Just come and arrest me if you can,” as reported by news agency ANI. “I am neither afraid nor worried. Rather I am emerging stronger. If people of Jharkhand wish, opponents will not find a place to hide," Soren said while addressing JMM workers near his residence.

He said he will fly to Raipur to attend a ‘Tribal Mahotsav' during the day, for which he had received an invitation.

CM Soren was asked to appear before the Enforcement Directorate at the Ranchi office at 11.30 am on Thursday but went about his usual scheduled business instead of appearing before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) office in Ranchi for questioning in connection with the illegal mining case.

#WATCH | I've been summoned by ED today when I already have a program in Chhattisgarh today. If I've committed a crime that big, come & arrest me. Why the questioning?... Security near ED office has increased. Why, are you scared of Jharkhandis?, says Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren pic.twitter.com/41cR92FCHM

— ANI (@ANI) November 3, 2022

"This is misuse of constitutional institutions to suppress the voice of anyone who opposes [the ruling BJP],” he added, addressing party workers hours about the Enforcement Directorate's allegation that he laundered money in a “coal mining scam”.

“This conspiracy will get a befitting reply,” he said.

The ED had summoned Hemant Soren on Wednesday and asked him to appear for questioning on November 3 in its ongoing probe into an illegal mining case. Soren has been asked by the agency to appear before its Jharkhand's Ranchi-based regional office by 11.30 am.

The probe agency’s summon came almost a month after it seized a passbook and a chequebook, including two signed cheques, of Soren from the home of his alleged close associate Pankaj Mishra, who enjoyed political clout being the representative of Soren and exercised considerable control over illegal mining businesses as well as inland ferry services in Sahebganj and its adjoining areas through his accomplices.

Mishra is in judicial custody now for exercising control over the mining of stone chips and boulders and installing and operating several crushers set up across various mining sites in Jharkhand's Sahebganj district.

The ED made the revelations after it filed a Prosecution Complaint under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002 before the special court at Jharkhand's capital Ranchi against Pankaj Mishra, Bachhu Yadav, and Prem Prakash. ED conducted 47 searches throughout India and seized cash amounting to Rs 5.34 crore and freeze bank balances amounting to Rs 13.32 crore.

The probe agency also froze an inland vessel MV Infralink -III, reg. No- WB 1809, 5 number of stone crushers, two Hyva trucks besides the seizure of incriminating documents along with two numbers of AK 47 Assault Rifles.