On Tuesday, the BJP president of Jharkhand, Babulal Marandi, humorously commented on Hemant Soren’s situation. Marandi shared a ‘missing’ poster on Twitter, offering a cash reward of Rs 11,000 for anyone providing information about the Chief Minister’s location.
This incident occurred as rumors circulated about Soren’s mysterious absence following the Enforcement Directorate’s searches at his official residence in Delhi on Monday. It’s worth mentioning that Soren was not at home during the raids, leading ED officials to declare him “missing.”
Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren Missing
Jharkhand’s Chief Minister, Hemant Soren, who was declared “missing” by the BJP due to the Enforcement Directorate’s unsuccessful attempt to locate him for over 24 hours, has reappeared in Ranchi today. He was last spotted in Delhi on Sunday night and left his Ranchi residence today for a meeting with MLAs from the ruling coalition in Jharkhand.
This development coincides with intense political activities in Ranchi and Delhi. The Enforcement Directorate officials had visited his Delhi address to question him in a money laundering case, seizing ₹36 lakh in cash and his BMW car. However, Mr. Soren was not found at his Delhi homes or at Jharkhand Bhavan in Delhi.
In response, the BJP began asserting that the Chief Minister was “on the run.” State BJP chief Babulal Marandi even released an advertisement, offering a ₹11,000 cash prize for credible information about Mr. Soren’s whereabouts.
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Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren Missing Poster
In a tweet by Marandi, the Leader of the Opposition in the Jharkhand Assembly, a poster describes Soren as a 5 feet 2 inches individual wearing a white shirt, black trousers, and slippers. The poster asserts that Soren has been missing for more than “40 hours” and was last observed walking with his security personnel at 2 am.
The poster urges people to share any information about Soren’s whereabouts at the Chief Minister’s residence in Ranchi. Additionally, it mentions a cash reward of Rs 11,000 for anyone providing information leading to Soren’s location.
Jharkhand Political Dynamics
The lawmakers from the ruling alliance of Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), led by Chief Minister Hemant Soren, are instructed to stay in Ranchi for a crucial meeting on Tuesday. The meeting aims to address the current political situation in the state, with concerns about the possibility of Soren facing arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in a suspected land fraud case.
The ruling alliance comprises the JMM, Congress, and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) in Jharkhand. In response to the ED’s inquiry, Soren has communicated via email, confirming his willingness to provide a statement related to an alleged land scam at his official residence in Ranchi on January 31 at 1 pm.
Notably, JMM legislators had stayed at Hemant Soren’s official residence in Delhi until late Monday night, following an ED team’s visit to question the Chief Minister regarding a money laundering investigation linked to the alleged land fraud case. During the inquiry, officials confiscated two BMWs belonging to the Chief Minister, along with incriminating documents and Rs 36 lakh in cash.
Jharkhand CM Faces ED Probe
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) recently questioned Mr. Soren at his official residence in Ranchi on January 20 in connection with a case. Following that, they issued a tenth summons, urging him to confirm his availability for questioning on either January 29 or January 31. Notably, Soren has missed nine previous summonses from the ED.
After leaving for Delhi from Ranchi on the night of January 27, Soren communicated through email, expressing his willingness to undergo further questioning by ED investigators on January 31 at his Ranchi residence around 1 pm.
The Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) criticized the ED’s actions, deeming them “unconstitutional.” JMM’s general secretary and spokesperson, Supriyo Bhattacharya, alleged that the Chief Minister’s visit to Delhi was for personal reasons and emphasized that the ED’s actions seemed politically motivated. Bhattacharya asserted that Soren is not connected to the case in question.
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Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren Missing FAQs
Q.1. Why was Chief Minister Hemant Soren declared missing?
Ans. Hemant Soren was declared missing after Enforcement Directorate searches at his residence in Delhi. He reappeared in Ranchi amidst intense political activities.
Q.2. What triggered the missing person controversy?
Ans. Rumors circulated about Soren’s absence following ED’s searches in Delhi. The BJP added fuel, offering a cash reward for information on his location.
Q.3. Why did the BJP release a missing poster for Hemant Soren?
Ans. BJP president Marandi humorously posted a ‘missing’ poster, offering Rs 11,000 for Soren’s location, heightening tensions amid political uncertainties.
Q.4. What did the ED seize during the raids at Soren’s Delhi residence?
Ans. The ED seized ₹36 lakh in cash and Soren’s BMW car during the raids. Soren, however, was not found at his Delhi or Ranchi homes.
Q.5. What’s the current political situation in Jharkhand?
Ans. Lawmakers from the ruling alliance are meeting to address concerns about Soren’s potential arrest in a suspected land fraud case, following the ED’s inquiry.
