1 year ago
20
In a seismic -- but long-brewing -- development in Jharkhand politics, Hemant Soren has resigned as chief minister ahead of his expected arrest in a money laundering case.
Top Enforcement Directorate officials told NDTV that Mr Soren refused to sign his arrest memo until he submitted his resignation to Jharkhand Governor CP Radhakrishnan. They said the agency's officials then took the chief minister to the Raj Bhavan to resign.
The Jharkhand Mukti Morcha leader is now being taken to the ED office in Ranchi for questioning and he is likely to be arrested after that. Before his resignation, he was questioned at his residence in the city for at least six hours in connection with the money laundering case linked to an alleged Rs 600-crore land scam.
While Mr Soren's likely arrest is not unexpected, the person chosen to take over as chief minister has taken many by surprise. Contrary to the earlier speculation, Mr Soren will not be replaced by his wife Kalpana Soren but by senior JMM leader and transport minister in the outgoing cabinet, Champai Soren.
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