Enforcement Directorate summoned Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Thursday for questioning in a money laundering case linked to alleged illegal mining in the state. In the wake of the ED summons, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) supporters and party workers gathered outside the CM residence in Ranchi.
According to reports, a team of three ED officials have reached Ranchi.
Ahead of appearing before the ED, Soren while talking to the media said that 'it's a conspiracy and it is known that 'hearing raids will be held at MLAs' residence'. The ED allegations are baseless, he dded.
"Allegations don't seem to be possible at all. I feel agencies should come to a concrete conclusion only after a detailed probe. I'm a CM, and the manner in which summoning is being done makes it look like we're people who flee the country," said Jharkhand CM on ED summon in illegal mining case.
"Such actions create uncertainty in the state. It can be called a conspiracy to destabilise the government. Our rivals were conspiring to topple Govt ever since we came to power. This submarine of the conspiracy didn't have the strength to rise out of water-attempts being made to bring it out," said Soren.
The ED has said it has "identified" proceeds of crime worth Rs 1,000 crore till now relating to illegal mining in the state.
Soren while talking to reporters, said, "If we calculate the yearly revenue from mines and minerals, it would not touch Rs 1000 crore. I am going to ED office and want to see how they arrived at that figure," he told the media.
With the party workers' gathering at Morabadi ground and creating road blocks at many areas, traffic diversions and police personnel has been deployed in several locations.
