Minister Hemant Soren at home before heading to the Office of the Executive Director in Ranchi.
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When questioned by the ED central authority over allegations of money laundering through illegal mining, Minister Jharkhand Hemant Soren today said the investigation is “part of a larger plot by the BJP central government to destabilize” government of Jharkhand Mukti Morcha-Parliament.
He also mentioned he could be disqualified as an MLA for awarding himself a mining contract—based on a BJP complaint filed with the Election Commission—and asked Governor Ramesh Bais to must quickly “open the envelope”.
The committee is known to have recommended stripping Mr Soren of his council membership. “The Governor has said that he is seeking a ‘second opinion.’ But we asked the Election Commission, and we were told that there is no such opinion,” said Mr. Soren. said, though without mentioning what the decision might be. “I heard the Governor is waiting for something.”
Calling the fraud allegations “baseless”, he said the BJP-led central government “will soon investigate further leaders from Opposition-ruled states”.
“I hold my constitutional office as Minister. But the way the investigation is going, the way I’ve been summoned, it seems like they think I’m the type of person who would flee the country. I can’t remember who. other than the big businessman who has fled the country. No politician has fled like that,” he said, addressing supporters for about 10 minutes at his home in Ranchi before heading to his office. Enforcement Department.
He said that there have been attempts to overthrow him since the JMM Congress won the election in 2019: “The masterminds act like a submarine, too scared to surface. But that submarine is now being brought to the surface.”
Investigators arrested Soren’s political aide, Pankaj Mishra, and two others – Bachhu Yadav and Prem Prakash – in the case. The ED said it had “identified” Rs 1,000 crore as “criminal money related to illegal mining”.
Mr Soren denied that such a scam was “unlikely”.
In a point-by-point written response to the summons before his face-to-face questioning, Mr Soren said his government has increased the state’s income from mining royalties. Providing data to Sahibganj district, where the scam is alleged, he said that “to embezzle Rs 1,000 crore, the amount of illegal mining would have to be four times the amount of legal mining”.
“To transport this, one would need 20,000 rail rakes or 330,000 trucks. The railways won’t transport it without the proper paperwork. Have you taken action against any railway officials yet? ?” he submitted.
“Statewide earned Rs 750 crore in the last two years, the period in which you have alleged a scam worth Rs 1,000. I think you failed to heed these facts and data before submitting allegation,” he added to the firm.
He also casts doubt on the claims of his “familiar enemy” Ravi Kejriwal, a BJP leader who was previously in his party.
“I hope the investigation won’t have any hidden agendas or motives,” he said.
