Just hours before his arrest, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha’s (JMM) executive president and former Chief Minister Hemant Soren said that time had come to “wage a war” against the prevailing feudal system that “oppresses the poor, Dalits, and tribals”.
In a video message recorded just before his arrest, Soren said, “I will not cow down… Ultimately truth will prevail.” He also accused the Enforcement Directorate (ED) of planning his arrest without any evidence linking him to the money laundering case, as PTI reported.
Also Read:Who will be Jharkhand’s CM? All eyes on Governor after Hemant Soren’s arrest
Soren also claimed innocence saying he had no connection with the charges that were brought against him.
“The ED has come to arrest me today. After questioning me for the entire day, they have decided to arrest me in a planned manner, on an issue which is not linked to me. They (ED) found no evidence, they even tried to tarnish my image by conducting raids in Delhi,” the former CM said in the video message.
On the day of his arrest, Soren wrote on X,”It’s a break, life is a great battle. I have fought every moment, I will fight every moment. But I will not beg for compromise. Whether in defeat or victory, I am not afraid at all; smallness don’t touch me now; you are great, keep it up.”
“I will not accept defeat… Jai Jharkhand,” he added.
Also Read:Hemant Soren resigns, Champai Soren set to be new Jharkhand Chief Minister
The JMM leader was arrested on Wednesday night in connection with a money laundering case, following his resignation as the Jharkhand Chief Minister. Following his resignation, party loyalist and State Transport Minister Champai Soren was appointed as his successor.
Hemant Soren was arrested after a prolonged seven-hour interrogation by the Enforcement Directorate at his official residence in Ranchi.
The resignation paved the way for the elevation of 68-year-old Champai Soren, a loyalist of Shibu Soren and the State Transport Minister, as the new Chief Minister. He was elected as the JMM legislature party leader by the MLAs amid uncertainty over Hemant’s future, given the ongoing ED investigations into corruption allegations.
Hemant’s arrest followed his repeated refusals to appear before the ED for questioning. This was the ninth summons issued by the central agency over an alleged money laundering case. Soren had been questioned three times, first in November 2021 in an illegal mining case, and on January 20 and 31 in connection with the alleged proceeds of crime related to the illegal sale and purchase of land in Ranchi, where IAS officer Chhavi Ranjan is also accused.
During a raid at his Delhi residence, the ED claimed to have recovered Rs 36 lakh cash and a BMW car. Soren denied ownership of the car and asserted not possessing any illicit cash. An FIR has also been registered against ED officials over the January 29 raid under the provisions of the SC/ST Act based on Soren’s complaint.