Hemant Soren steps down as CM of Jharkhand, Champai Soren to take charge
Jharkhand's CM Hemant Soren has resigned from his post after being questioned by ED in alleged money laundering in a land scam case.
Ranchi: Chief Minister of Jharkhand, Hemant Soren has stepped down from his post after being subjected to Enforcement Directorate (ED) questioning in alleged money laundering in a land scam case. Reportedly, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) party’s senior leader Champai Soren is going to take charge.
It is worth mentioning here that ED officials raided Hemant Soren’s Delhi residence and Jharkhand Bhawan.
The fast-paced developments came as the ED, which was questioning Hemant Soren at his residence since the afternoon in a money laundering case probe linked to an alleged land scam, informed him that it was arresting him as it was not satisfied with his answers to their queries.
Meanwhile, Chief Secretary L. Khiangte, DGP Ajay Kumar Singh, and other top officials reached the CM’s residence and security there was tightened.
Indications of Heman Soren’s likely arrest came to be known from around 5 p.m. and the ruling coalition intensified its discussions to select his successor. Several MLAs were present at the CM’s house since morning.
A meeting on Tuesday evening of the JMM legislators, chaired by Hemant Soren, who returned to the state capital from New Delhi, had decided that in the event he was arrested, a new government should be formed under a new leader and an appointment was taken with the Governor on Wednesday night for this purpose.
The ED had been on the lookout for Soren in Delhi since Monday morning. They searched for him at several places including his Delhi residence and Jharkhand Bhawan, but he was not found.
(With Inputs from IANS)
Ms Kalinga