Ex-Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren Sent to 5-Day ED Custody

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday obtained a five-day custody of former Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren. He was arrested by the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) in a money laundering case related to the alleged land scam on 31st January.

Earlier today, the Supreme Court declined to intervene in the ED's arrest, directing the concerned individual, represented by senior advocates Kapil Sibal and Abhishek Singhvi, to seek relief from the high court. The special bench, consisting of Justices Sanjiv Khanna, MM Sundresh, and Bela M Trivedi, asserted the need to send a message in such cases, especially given the stature of the accused.

Amidst this political upheaval, Champai Soren, a JMM leader, has been sworn in as the new Chief Minister of Jharkhand at the Raj Bhavan in Ranchi. Accompanied by Alamgir Alam from the Congress and Satyanand Bhokta from the RJD, who also took oath as ministers, the swearing-in ceremony signals a shift in leadership dynamics in the state.

Following the ceremony, several legislators are en route to Hyderabad in anticipation of the impending floor test in the assembly. This strategic move aims to consolidate support for the newly formed government. With the JMM holding 29 seats, supported by 17 Congress seats, and 1 seat each from the RJD and CPI (ML), the INDIA bloc appears to command a formidable majority with a combined support of 43 MLAs, paving the way for a successful navigation through the floor test.