Money laundering case: Hemant Soren resigns as Jharkhand CM after ED questioning

Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren, who was questioned by the Enforcement Directorate officials at his Residence in Ranchi in a money laundering case related to a land deal, resigned from his post on Wednesday. In rapidly unfolded events, Soren was taken under ED custody after being questioned at his residence. The CM went to the Governor House with the ED officials to hand over the resignation.

Soren was questioned by the Enforcement Directorate in a money laundering case on Wednesday in his official residence for more than six hours amid heavy security cover and high political drama.

Earlier in the day, Soren lodged an FIR against ED personnel over searches conducted by the agency at his Delhi



residence on Monday, officials said.

Soren alleged that the ED conducted the search to "harass and malign him and his entire community", the officials said, quoting the FIR.

Soren, 48, who is also the executive president of the ruling Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), was previously questioned on January 20 in connection with the case.

The interrogation, however, remained incomplete on that day when he was grilled for more than seven hours, an official said.

Soren is being questioned as part of an investigation into a "huge racket of illegal change of land ownership by the mafia" in Jharkhand, according to officials from the Enforcement Directorate (ED).