The Enforcement Directorate is set to interrogate Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren at 1 PM on Wednesday at the CM's office in the alleged money laundering case.
A team of ED sleuths on Monday visited Soren's residence in Delhi in connection with the money laundering probe. The probe agency had issued a fresh summons to him for this week.
ED had seized Rs 36 lakh, an SUV and some incriminating documents after it searched Soren’s Delhi residence, PTI reported, citing official sources.
As Hemant Soren faces the sword of arrest, the speculation is rife that his wife Kalpana Soren might take over the top post.
Soren convened two consecutive meetings on Tuesday with his wife Kalpana joining the first one.
The subsequent meeting of party MLAs was attended by 43 legislators, with four absentees, including Sita Soren, Ramdas Soren, Chamra Linda, and Lobin Hembram – all belonging to the JMM party.
The MLAs reportedly signed a letter of support without any name as speculations are rife that the chief minister's wife Kalpana Soren will be handed over the reins in the event of his arrest.
Kalpana Soren is not an MLA, and for her to take over as the CM of Jharkhand, a present MLA would need to vacate his or her seat.
Bharatiya Janata Party's Nishikant Dubey, Hemant's brother Basant Soren, and sister-in-law Sita Soren did not agree to the proposal of Kalpana becoming the CM.
Basant Soren, brother of Hemant, however, denied any family rift and said the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha family is united and rifts happen in Nishikant Dubey's family only, as per the Hindustan Times report.
Dubey claimed that at least 35 MLAs were there at the JMM meeting on Tuesday where the proposal to make Kalpana Soren the next chief minister was discussed.
Soren had left for New Delhi on January 27 night. Amid suspense about his whereabouts, he reached his official residence in Ranchi on the intervening night of Monday and Tuesday.
All Photos: PTI/ANI
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