Ranchi/New Delhi
Reiterating his intent of taking on the BJP and the Centre, whom it accuses of misusing the probe agencies, Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Thursday skipped the summons of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and dared the agency to arrest him if he has done “a crime that big”.
He went about his usual scheduled business instead of appearing before the ED at its office in Ranchi for questioning in a money laundering case linked to alleged illegal mining in the State.
The ED had summoned Soren asking him to appear for questioning on November 3 in its ongoing probe. Soren was asked by the agency to appear before its Jharkhand’s Ranchi-based regional office by 11.30 am.
“I’ve been summoned by ED when I already have a programme in Chhattisgarh today. If I’ve committed a crime that big, come and arrest me. Why the questioning? The security near ED office has increased. Why, are you scared of Jharkhandis,” Soren said while addressing his supporters outside his official residence.
“The BJP has unleashed central forces to destabilise a democratically elected Jharkhand government. I am not afraid of ED and CBI. This is misuse of constitutional institutions to suppress the voice of anyone who opposes them,” Soren said. He later left for Raipur to attend the National Tribal Dance Festival as the Chief Guest.
According to State government officials, the CM will be also be busy with other programmes like ‘Sarkar Aapke Dwar’ campaign to mark three years in office and the State’s Foundation Day on November 15 among others, indicating that the CM was not in a mood to oblige the ED anytime soon.
The State government has also called a special Assembly session on November 11 to pass a Bill related to domicile policy based on the 1932-khatiyan (land records). It will be the second special session called by it with the previous one having been convened on September 5 amid speculation that Governor Ramesh Bais will disqualify Soren for possessing a mining lease despite holding the mining portfolio in the Cabinet.
On Wednesday, Soren invoked his “tribal” credentials to attack the BJP and “those who are in power” for targeting him and his government even as his party JMM has threatened an economic blockade and asked its workers to take to the streets in protest.
“The Opposition’s mindset is to misuse constitutional institutions to harass the state’s tribal Chief Minister. The objective behind the attempt to harass me is to block the rights of tribals, backwards and minorities. None of their conspiracies will succeed as I have the support of crores of people in the state,” the CM said.
On Thursday, he continued with his tribal cause, saying, “We have identified a few external gangs in the state who are not letting the state’s Adivasis stand on their feet. This state will have the rule of Jharkhandis and not external forces. BJP will be wiped off in the upcoming Lok Sabha & Assembly polls.”
Earlier, Congress MLA Ramchandra Singh confirmed Soren’s non-appearance in ED office on Thursday. “We’ll fight constitutionally. CM (Hemant Soren) won’t go (to the ED office), he has prior plans. He’ll attend his programmes,” he said.
The ED’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 as MLA and exercised considerable control over illegal mining businesses and inland ferry services in Sahebganj and around through his accomplices.
Mishra is in judicial custody in connection with mining of stone chips and boulders and installing and operating several crushers set up across various mining sites in Jharkhand’s Sahebganj district.
The Enforcement Directorate 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.
As things stand, Soren’s fate as an MLA already hangs in the balance after the Election Commission sent a report to the Jharkhand Governor understandably recommending the JMM leader’s disqualification as a member of the assembly for allegedly holding a mining lease in violation of Office of Profit (OoP) rules. The opposition BJP has sought his disqualification for “misusing” his official position to get the lease.
