Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren Arrives At ED Office In Illegal Mining Case

Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren has arrived at the ED office in Ranchi after being summoned by them to appear before them in an illegal mining case.

File Photo of Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren ( Image Source :Twitter/ANI )

Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren has arrived at the ED office in Ranchi after being summoned by them to appear before them in an illegal mining case. Ahead of his appearance before Enforcement Directorate in Ranchi, Hemant Soren said that allegations levelled against him don't seem to be possible at all. He also said that agencies should come to a concrete conclusion only after a detailed probe.

“Allegations don't seem to be possible at all. I feel agencies should come to a concrete conclusion only after a detailed probe,” Soren said. “I'm a CM, manner in which summoning is being done makes it look like we're people who flee the country,” he added. Heamnt Soren termed ED summons as a conspiracy to destabilise the government and said that the rivals are conspiring to topple the government ever since it came to power.

“Such actions create uncertainty in state. It can be called a conspiracy to destabilise Govt.Our rivals were conspiring to topple Govt ever since we came to power.This submarine of conspiracy didn't have strength to rise out ot water-attempts being made to bring it out,” Soren said

Earlier in the day,  Jharkhand Mukti Morcha workers had gathered in support of Hemant Soren at Morabadi ground in Ranchi Jharkhand on Thursday, ahead of his appearance before ED.

"CM is doing good work so he is being trapped," a supporter told the news agency ANI. "Modi govt always betrays non-BJP states. Our CM said if he's guilty he should be arrested, still ED sent to summon," the news agency quoted another supporter as saying.

The agency had arrested three people including Soren’s aide Pankaj Mishra in the case so far. ED in its charge sheet said that the illegal mining scam was worth Rs 1000 crore. The charge sheet also said that the signed and unsigned cheques of Soren were recovered from Mishra’s residence in July.

Soren was summoned for the second time for questioning on November 17. Earlier, Soren had skipped questioning on November 3 citing official engagement. Jharkhand Health Minister Banna Gupta on Wednesday said that Enforcement Directorate's summons to Chief Minister Hemant Soren is a conspiracy to oust the government.

While talking to the mediapersons in Ranchi, Gupta said, "This government believes in the constitution. ED has summoned CM Hemant Soren and he will go to the ED office. He will cooperate with the ED in every possible way. We are not afraid of the way conspiracy to oust the government is done, it will be fought firmly."

Earlier on Wednesday, Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren alleged that the conspirators are hellbent on overthrowing the current government in the state because "they know that we will strengthen tribals so much that those coming from outside will be thrown out."