Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren's absence sparked controversy, with the opposition BJP claiming he was "missing" and erecting posters to that effect. The ruling JMM retaliated sharply. Soren reappeared around 2 pm and attended a meeting with his MLAs in Ranchi. The drama unfolded following an Enforcement Directorate visit to Soren's South Delhi residence in connection with a money laundering case, during which Rs 36 lakh in cash, a BMW SUV, and incriminating documents were reportedly seized.
Soren, meanwhile, wrote an email to the ED, agreeing to record his statement before the agency on January 31 at 1 pm at his residence. He called the agency’s insistence on recording a statement on or before January 31 “politically motivated”.
Soren’s party, the JMM, has said that the “sudden” visit by the ED at his official residence was an insult to the honour and respect of a CM as well as to the 3.5 crore people of the state.
“Have constitutional institutions like ED become puppets in the hands of BJP? Will governments be formed or fallen in the states now through these agencies? Can the central government do anything to the state chief ministers when they visit the country’s capital? Will now the Chief Ministers of different states of the country have to remain limited to their respective limits?” the party said.
Before Soren's appearance in Ranchi, the opposition BJP claimed he was "missing." BJP state chief Babulal Marandi shared a "missing" poster for the CM, offering a reward of Rs 11,000 for information leading to his return.
Hemant Soren's wife as CM if he's arrested: Sources
Sources within Hemant Soren's Jharkhand Mukti Morcha Party suggest that if the Chief Minister is arrested following his questioning by the Enforcement Directorate in an alleged money laundering case, his wife Kalpana Soren may step in to fill his role. The possibility of his arrest arises after he provides his statement to the agency.
Mr Soren, say sources, made the announcement at a meeting of the MLAs of the ruling alliance this evening. The MLAs have agreed since preservation of the government is crucial at this point. "We, all the MLAs of the alliance, of Congress, are fully supporting the Chief Minister," Banna Gupta, the state's health minister who belongs to the Congress, told reporters.