Why send summons... arrest me: Soren to ED

Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren on Thursday skipped the Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) summons for questioning in connection with its money-laundering probe into an alleged illegal mining case, even as he asked the federal agency to arrest him if he had committed any crime.

Soren was called to appear before ED at its zonal office in Ranchi at 11am on Thursday, but the ruling Jharkhand Mukti Morcha’s working president left for Chhattisgarh’s capital Raipur on Thursday morning to attend a “scheduled” programme.

Before leaving, the chief minister addressed his party workers outside his residence, where he alleged that the summons against him was part of a “conspiracy” to “destabilise” the state government.

Also read: After ED summons, Soren huddle with his MLAs. Top points in Jharkhand politics

“I have been summoned by ED today when I already have a programme in Chhattisgarh. Come and arrest me if I have committed a crime that big instead of sending summonses for questioning,” he said. “I am neither afraid nor worried. I am emerging stronger.”

He also said he wondered why security at the offices of ED and the Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the state was increased. “Why are you afraid of Jharkhandis? Till now, we haven’t done anything. If people of Jharkhand wish, opponents will not find a place to hide,” he added.

Meanwhile, people familiar with the development said the chief minister has sought three weeks’ time to appear before ED for questioning. A representative of the chief minister reached ED’s office with an envelope, but refused to divulge with media its contents.

A senior ED official, asking not to be named, said that Soren has sought three weeks’ time to appear before the agency, citing his scheduled official engagements. The official, however, did not confirm if the request has been accepted.

Earlier, ED summoned the JMM leader to question him about activities related to illegal mining and transportation on a large scale in alleged association with his political aide Pankaj Mishra, who was arrested in July in the case. ED has also arrested Mishra’s aides, Bachhu Yadav and Prem Prakash, in the case.

Soren (47) was called for questioning as Mishra was using his close association with the chief minister to actively indulge in illegal mining and diverting crores of rupees from the mining activities in the state, said an official, asking not to be named, according to a previous HT report. Bank documents of Soren were also recovered during raids at Mishra’s premises in Sahebganj on July 8, the official added.

Jharkhand’s public relations department on Wednesday issued a list of official engagements of the chief minister till November 15, including his visit to Raipur on Thursday to attend a ‘Tribal Mahotsav’ as the chief guest.

During his address to JMM workers before leaving for the neighbouring state, Soren alleged that the BJP was making attempts to “destabilise” his democratically elected government by “misusing central agencies” ever since it was voted to power. He alleged that the opposition party was not able to tolerate that the member of a tribal community was leading the state.

“They (BJP) possess a feudal mentality and cannot see tribals, Dalits and the oppressed growing,” he said. “This state will be ruled by Jharkhandis and not by external forces.”

He alleged that some outsider gangs operating in the state were not letting the state’s adivasis stand on their feet.

Raising questions over the autonomy of federal agencies such as ED and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Soren said the BJP was misusing them to serve their political interests.

He also appealed to tribal voters in poll-bound Gujarat to ensure the BJP loses all adivasi seats.

“In 2014, there was a double-engine government. We made one of the engines defunct in 2019 (by defeating the BJP government in Jharkhand). Now it’s time to ensure the second engine (the BJP government at the Centre) also becomes defunct,” the CM said, calling on his party workers to get ready for the Lok Sabha and assembly polls in 2024.

Also read: Soren mocks Guv, EC silence on office of profit charge

Soren also asked party workers to identify those taking part in the proposed statewide protest called by the BJP from November 7. “I have heard they are planning to protest in a day or two. Identify each one of them. We will teach them a lesson at an appropriate time,” he added.

Hitting back at Soren, the BJP said the chief minister should be cooperating with the probe agency instead of threatening it.

“The chief minister has been summoned for questioning in an illegal mining case to the tune of hundreds of crores. He is holding a constitutional post and should cooperate with the agency. Instead, he is issuing threats and his workers are doing theatrics on the streets,” said Jharkhand BJP spokesperson Pratul Shahdeo. “As far as the threat to BJP workers is concerned, we are used to it. That is how we have grown politically. In fact, it motivates us to expose their misdeeds further.”