ED shows up at Hemant Soren’s residence in Jharkhand to question him about a purported land scam.CM Earlier on January 20, Soren had instructed the ED to record his statement at his home.
Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren’s home in Ranchi, the state capital, was visited on Saturday by representatives of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for an interrogation regarding the purported land scam. In a letter, the central agency requested that the CM be reachable for inquiries regarding the subject between January 16 and January 20. On January 20, Soren gave the ED permission to record his statement at home.

Seven ED summonses had previously been ignored by the Jharkhand chief minister and executive president of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM). He claimed that the central agencies were used by the government headed by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to topple his government.

Security was stepped up around Soren’s house to keep the peace ahead of the scheduled visit by ED officials, despite protests from JMM employees and a number of tribal leaders. According to Chandan Kumar Sinha, senior superintendent of police in Ranchi, more than a thousand security guards were sent out to ensure a three-tiered level of protection.

Friday protests
Numerous tribal organizations staged protest marches in support of Chief Minister Soren. Kendriya Sarna Samiti, Kharwar Bhokta Samaj, Bharat Munda Samaj, Bedia Vikas Parishad, Masihi Samaj, Santhal Samaj Dishoom, Adivasi Lohra Samaj, Yuva Sarna Samiti, Bheem Army, Adivasi Sarna Samiti, Tetar Toli Sarna Samiti, and Karmali Samaj were among the organizations whose banners the protestors were waving.

As they demonstrated in front of Raj Bhawan, demonstrators chanted anti-government slogans such as “Jo Humse Se Takrayega Choor Choor Ho Jayega,” “Kendriya Janch Agency Ka Durupyog Karna Band Karo,” “Adivasi Ekta Jindabad,” and “Jai Sarna,” among others.

The tribal leaders expressed their fury towards the ED and the federal government, claiming that they were part of a plot to discredit Hemant Soren’s administration.