It's a conspiracy to topple Jharkhand govt: CM Hemant Soren on ED summon

Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren, on Wednesday, claimed that a conspiracy is being hatched to destabilise his government as the opposition cannot take on him politically, stressing that he is unfazed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) summon.

According to officials, the ED has summoned Soren for questioning on Thursday in a money laundering case related to alleged illegal mining in the state.

While addressing a rally at Sahebganj as part of the state government's outreach programme, called 'Aapki Yojna, Appki Sarkar Aapke Dwar', the CM said that the state's people for whom his government working will reply to this 'conspiracy.' 

"Even I am called, but I am not afraid. They are attempting to show how powerful ED is. They want to show if Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi can be summoned, why can't a chief minister? If they believe they can malign our reputation, they are mistaken. They're hatching this conspiracy as they can't fight politically," said Soren.

"I am not concerned until people of the state are with me." He also claimed that the opposition plans to destabilise the state government, led by a tribal.

"They began with a probe in MNREGA in Khunti. They then dragged it to Sahebganj (related to illegal mining). To prevent your chief minister from working, this has been done. You needn't worry, though; we'll counter it properly. As I fight for the advancement of tribal, Dalit, and minority groups, the only motivation behind this conspiracy is to topple a government headed by a tribal member," Soren continued.

The ED summoned Soren after the EC sent a report to governor Ramesh Bias in August, ostensibly recommending Soren's disqualification as an assembly member for allegedly holding a mining lease.

The opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) claims Soren violated office profit rules and is seeking disqualification for "misusing" his official position to get the lease.

Soren's lawyers argued before ECI that the mining lease was not executed and that he sought cancellation of the consent to operate it in February, implying that he received no benefit from the lease. Soren argued that because the lease was not a government contract, Section 9A of the Representation of the People Act, which allows disqualification, did not apply in his case.

Based on a first information report (FIR) filed in Jharkhand's Sahibganj district against political aide and ruling Jharkhand Mukti Morcha leader Pankaj Mishra, who was arrested in July, and others, the ED launched its investigation under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). It then took over the investigation into other cases involving alleged illegal mining in the state.

Also Read: Enforcement Directorate summons Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren in illegal mining case

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• Enforcement Directorate
• Hemant Soren
• Jharkhand