Money laundering case: ED seizes Rs 36 lakh, SUV from Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren's Delhi house

Pic/PTI

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has seized Rs 36 lakh, an SUV and some "incriminating" documents after it searched the Delhi residence of Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren, official sources said Tuesday, reported news agency PTI.

The federal agency searched the 5/1 Shanti Niketan residence of the JMM leader in south Delhi on Monday and camped there for almost 13 hours in order to question him in a money laundering case linked to an alleged land deal case of Jharkhand, reported PTI.

The sources said the ED teams seized about Rs 36 lakh in cash, a HR (Haryana) number plate bearing BMW registered under a "benami" name and some "incriminating" documents during the day-long operation, reported PTI.

Soren, 48, has informed the ED that he is ready to depose before them on Wednesday at his Ranchi residence around 1 pm, reported PTI.

A party official said in Ranchi that all the legislators of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha-led ruling alliance in Jharkhand have been asked not to leave the state capital and to attend a meeting on Tuesday to discuss the current political situation in the state, reported PTI.

Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren, in a letter to the Enforcement Directorate, said he will record his statement in the money laundering case before the agency officials at 1 pm on Wednesday at his residence, reported ANI.

While accepting to record his statement, the Jharkhand chief minister alleged that questioning him at this time was more political and was meant to disrupt the functioning of his government.

"You are well aware that the Budget Session of the Legislative Assembly will be held between 2nd and 29th February 2024 and the undersigned will be pre-occupied with preparations for the same apart from other prior scheduled official engagements," the letter written by Soren to ED's Ranchi office said, reported ANI.

"In these circumstances, your insistence to record a further statement of the undersigned on or before 31 January 2024 reeks of malice and reveals your political agenda to disrupt the functioning of the State Government and prevent an elected representative of the people from discharging his official duties," Soren's letter to the ED said, reported ANI.

The "acts are malafide and politically motivated (and) stand vindicated. The issuance of summon to the undersigned is wholly vexatious and in colourable exercise of powers given by the statute," the letter added.

(With inputs from PTI and ANI)