In a significant development on Wednesday, Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren was taken into custody by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with a land scam case. Following his arrest, Cabinet Minister Champai Soren is set to become the next Chief Minister of Jharkhand. Prior to his arrest, Hemant Soren visited Raj Bhawan to submit his resignation.
The arrest came amidst a turbulent day for the former Chief Minister, who had earlier filed an FIR against ED officials at a SC/ST police station in Ranchi, alleging misconduct during searches at his Delhi residence. The ED’s operation led to the seizure of a BMW vehicle and ₹36 lakh in cash.
The ED’s questioning of Hemant Soren at his residence marked the culmination of a politically charged sequence of events, with the opposition BJP labeling Soren as “missing” and accusing him of evading the federal agency. The political atmosphere in Jharkhand was rife with speculation regarding Soren’s potential arrest and the subsequent leadership transition, with Kalpana Soren, his wife, initially considered a strong candidate for the Chief Minister’s position.
