Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren resigns, arrested by ED, Champai Soren stakes claim

Ranchi: Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren, who resigned on Wednesday, has been arrested by the Enforcement Directorate.

The JMM leader has been taken into ED custody after hours of grilling in connection with a money laundering case linked to an alleged land scam.

Transport Minister Champai Soren, who was unanimously elected legislature party leader of the ruling coalition by its MLAs after Hemant Soren's resignation, has staked his claim before governor C P Radhakrishnan to form the new government.

Earlier in the evening, Hemant Soren went to Raj Bhavan along with a team of ED officials and handed over his resignation.

Sources said the Governor has accepted Soren's resignation.

Jharkhand Pradesh Congress president Rajesh Thakur said MLAs of the ruling JMM and allies elected Champai Soren as the leader of their legislative party unanimously.

The legislators of the ruling coalition then went to the Raj Bhavan under Champai Soren's leadership.

Champai Soren handed over letters of support from 43 MLAs from the three constituent parties - JMM, Congress and the Rashtriya Janata Dal - of the ruling coalition.

The Governor reportedly told Soren that he would arrive at a decision after taking a detailed look into the issue.

Earlier in the day, ED officials arrived at Hemant Soren's residence in ten vehicles accompanied by CISF personnel and started quizzing him in connection with the money laundering case.

JMM supporters who gathered near the residence raised slogans on support of Soren and against the central agency.

As a precautionary measure, traffic was stopped around Soren's residence by barricading the Kanke Road from both sides. A large number of police officers are camping in the area.

Earlier on January 20, the CM was grilled by the ED for seven hours at his residence.

The ED wrote to Soren again on January 22, asking him to record the statement from between January 27-31.

Following this, the chief minister, on January 25, indirectly refused to give time to the ED for questioning. Then, on January 29, the Chief Minister wrote to the ED accusing it of being "politically motivated" and preventing the elected government from working.

Soren also termed the questions asked by the ED "inaccurate" and "incorrect."

However, Soren sent an email to the ED agreeing to record his statement at his residence on January 31. He summoned the central agency to his residence at 1 p.m. to record his statement.

Elaborate security arrangements have been made in Ranchi in view of the unfolding situation.