News Analysis India

Tag: Jharkhand Mukti Morcha

  • ED opposes JMM leader Hemant Soren’s interim bail plea in SC

    New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate opposed in the Supreme Court on Monday former Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren’s plea seeking interim bail in a money-laundering case linked to an alleged land scam to campaign in the Lok Sabha polls. In its affidavit filed in the top court on Soren’s plea against his arrest and for interim bail, the probe agency said the materials on record establish that the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha leader was involved in the acquisition and possession of properties in an illegal manner which are proceeds of crime. A vacation bench headed by Justice Dipankar Datta is scheduled to hear Soren’s plea against his arrest and interim bail on Tuesday. “Various Statements recorded under section 50 of PMLA, 2002, which establish that property admeasuring 8.86 acres, situated at Shanti Nagar, Near Lalu Khatal, Bariyatu is under illegal acquisition, possession and use of Hemant Soren and the same has been done in a camouflaged and concealed manner,” the agency said. Opposing the interim bail of Soren for campaigning during the ongoing Lok Sabha elections, the ED said, “It is relevant to note that the right to campaign for an election is neither a fundamental right nor a constitutional right and not even a legal right.” AllUttar PradeshMaharashtraTamil NaduWest BengalBiharKarnatakaAndhra PradeshTelanganaKeralaMadhya PradeshRajasthanDelhiOther StatesThe probe agency said that there is an active attempt on Soren’s part to subvert the investigation by misusing state machinery and project the proceeds of crime as “untainted through his stooges”. Soren was arrested on January 31 in the money-laundering case linked to the alleged land scam after he resigned as the Jharkhand chief minister. He has challenged a May 3 order of the Jharkhand High Court that dismissed his petition against his arrest by the ED. He has also sought interim bail for campaigning in the Lok Sabha polls till the court delivers its verdict on his plea against his arrest.

    On May 13, referring to the top court’s recent order in a money-laundering case involving Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Soren sought interim bail for campaigning in the election.

  • Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren Chairs Meeting With MLAs; BJP Alleges Plan To Make Kalpna Soren CM |

    Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren sprung a surprise by making a sudden appearance after going missing for a day when the Enforcement Directorate was at his residence on Monday. While the CM chaired a meeting of his MLAs in Ranchi, the BJP again reiterated the claim that Soren is planning to make his wife Kalpana Soren CM of the state in case he was arrested by the ED. Meanwhile, Soren’s party Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) slammed the BJP for demeaning the CM office. The party said that CM Soren was not missing and was in Delhi for some personal work.

    BJP leader Nishikant Dubey again claimed that CM Soren had called a meeting of JMM, Congress and other supporting MLAs in Ranchi to make Kalpana Soren CM of the state. “According to the current information, MLA Sita Soren and MLA Basant Soren have refused to accept Chief Minister Hemant Soren’s wife Kalpana Soren or other MLAs as the Chief Minister. Both the MLAs are absent from the legislature party meeting being held in Ranchi,” claimed Dubey.

    वर्तमान सूचना के अनुसार विधायक सीता सोरेन जी व विधायक बसंत सोरेन जी ने मुख्यमंत्री हेमंत सोरेन जी की पत्नी कल्पना सोरेन जी या अन्य विधायक को मुख्यमंत्री मानने से इंकार कर दिया है ।दोनों विधायक राँची में हो रही विधायक दल की बैठक से अनुपस्थित हैं https://t.co/2geaOQxmHA
    — Dr Nishikant Dubey (@nishikant_dubey) January 30, 2024

    On the other hand, Chief Minister Hemant Soren chaired a meeting with ministers of his ruling coalition today amid allegations by the BJP that the JMM chief was “absconding” to avoid the Enforcement Directorate’s probe into an alleged land scam case. The chief of Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) was seen coming out of his residence in Ranchi today ahead of the meeting. The Chief Minister’s Office in Jharkhand released pictures of Soren’s meeting with alliance party leaders today.

    मुख्यमंत्री आवास में मुख्यमंत्री श्री @HemantSorenJMM की अध्यक्षता में सत्ता पक्ष के मंत्री और विधायक गणों की बैठक शुरू। pic.twitter.com/Un8UPs3x6k
    — Office of Chief Minister, Jharkhand (@JharkhandCMO) January 30, 2024

    On Monday, the Enforcement Directorate officials visited Soren’s residence in Delhi for an inquiry. During the visit, the central agency confiscated two cars and Rs 36 lakh, but JMM leader Soren was not found.

    Sources reveal that the ED has issued a new summons to Soren, requesting his presence for questioning on either January 29 or 31. Alternatively, the agency has indicated that it will conduct the questioning at his location if he fails to appear. Notably, this marks the tenth summons issued to the Jharkhand Chief Minister by the ED.

    In response, Soren has communicated to the Enforcement Directorate, expressing his intention to provide his statement at 1 pm on Wednesday, January 31, at his residence in Ranchi. The Jharkhand Chief Minister contends that the timing of the inquiry appears to be politically motivated, aimed at disrupting the functioning of his government.

  • Can Hemant Soren Make His Wife Kalpana CM Of Jharkhand? Check What Laws Say |

    Months ahead of Jharkhand assembly polls, a big political turmoil is being seen in the state. Ruling Jharkhand Mukti Morcha MLA Sarfaraz Ahmad, a three-time MLA, resigned unexpectedly from his Gandey constituency leaving the rumour mills abuzz. Ahmed, who had been twice elected to the state assembly from the Congress in the past, switched over to the JMM ahead of the 2019 assembly elections and won his home constituency of Gandey, his third assembly win.

    Some of the Soren family members are MLAs in the Jharkhand assembly including his brother Basant Sore from the Dumka seat and sister-in-law Sita Murmu or Sita Soren from the Jama seat. However, given the alleged family feud and ongoing Enforcement Directorate investigation, CM Heman Soren may install his wife as the Chief Minister, claimed BJP MP Nishikant Dubey. 

    However, since Hemant Soren’s wife Kalpana is not a member of the Jharkhand assembly, is it possible for her to become the Chief Minister? As per the law, any person who is made a Chief Minister or even a minister gets six months to get elected to the concerned assembly. So, if Dubey’s claim is believed, Kalpana Soren will have six months to get elected to the Jharkhand assembly and since there is one vacant seat – the Gandey constituency, she may contest the election from there. The Election Commission will have to hold a bypoll within six months. The Jharkhand assembly elections will be held around November-December this year which is still 11 months away.

    Since Jharkhand does not have a bicameral legislative structure, Kalpana will have no other option than contesting the bypoll. In a bicameral legislature, a person can get elected to the house through the Legislative council just like Akhilesh Yadav or Yogi Adityanath did during their first tenure as the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh.

    मुख्यमंत्री हेमंत सोरेन जी परेशान,उनके सचिव चौबे जी से लेकर महाधिवक्ता मिश्रा जी गांडेय उप चुनाव कराने के लिए परेशान,विधायक दल की बैठक कल ,राज्यपाल के पास अपना इस्तीफ़ा व कल्पना सोरेन जी को विधायक दल का नेता बनाने वाला पत्र राज्यपाल महोदय को एक साथ देने की तैयारी @CPRGuv झारखंड…
    — Dr Nishikant Dubey (@nishikant_dubey) January 2, 2024

    In a post on X, Dubey said that Chief Minister Hemant Soren is worried and his entire team is worried about the Gandey bypolls. Dubey said that the key meeting of the JMM Legislative Party may take place tomorrow and after the meeting, a letter to the Governor with CM Soren’s resignation and making Kalpana Soren the leader of the Legislative Party will be submitted. Dubey urged the Jharkhand governor to take any decision after legal advice.