Hemant Soren Accuses ED of Harassment

Hemant Soren alleges ED raids target him, maligns ST community

Jharkhand Chief Minister claims ED raid on Delhi residence aimed at public humiliation, denies ownership of seized BMW and illicit cash.

DESK – Prior to his resignation as the CM of Jharkhand, Hemant Soren lodged a formal complaint, alleging that the Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) raid on his New Delhi residence was an act aimed at his public humiliation.

But, he refuted claims of owning a seized BMW or possessing illicit cash, a narrative put forward by the ED.

On the other hand, Soren highlighted that the raided premises in New Delhi were leased by the Jharkhand state for residential and official purposes, questioning the legality of the ED’s search operation conducted without his prior knowledge.

Meanwhile, in his complaint to the SC/ST police station, he identified ED officials Kapil Raj, Deovrat Jha, Anupam Kumar, Aman Patel, and others from the Ranchi Zonal Office as the ones who executed the search operation.

Soren articulated that the ED’s actions, including the alleged seizure of a blue BMW and large sums of money, were based on selectively leaked misinformation aimed at tarnishing his reputation and that of the Scheduled Tribe community he represents.

He emphasized that neither the luxury vehicle nor the alleged illicit cash belonged to him, countering the accusations with a clarification of his assets.

The Chief Minister’s complaint came shortly before ED officials were scheduled to interrogate him at his Ranchi residence, linking this sequence of events to the broader money laundering investigation against him.

Soren’s allegations against the ED officials, accusing them of using the raid to "harass and malign" him and the ST community, highlight a deepening confrontation between the state leadership and federal investigative agencies.