Is Jharkhand going the Maharashtra way?
India Today
Trouble appears to be brewing for Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren, following the arrest of two close alleged aides. In the midst of all of this, the question remains as to whether Jharkhand is following in the footsteps of Maharashtra.
The recent arrest of at-least two close alleged aides of Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren now seems to be casting a shadow on the future of the incumbent state government. Within two months, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) arrested an Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer and a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) representative, who were working closely with Hemant Soren. Sources say, during the probe, links between the arrested accused and the ‘powerful politicians in the Jharkhand government' have emerged.
It all started in the month of May when the ED conducted raids at several places in Jharkhand, including the residence of top bureaucrat Pooja Singhal, in an old case related to MANREGA funds. Interestingly, the raids were conducted at a time when Hemant Soren came under the scanner of the Election Commission (EC) over the allotment of mining contracts in his name. Pooja Singhal was then serving as mining secretary in the Jharkhand government and Hemant Soren held the mining ministry charge.
READ | Who is IAS Pooja Singhal being probed by ED in Jharkhand money laundering case
The financial probe agency placed her under arrest after recovering over Rs 17 crore from the residence of Singhal’s chartered accountant. The ED later alleged that Pooja Singhal was taking bribes for mining related matters. Her arrest was a direct dent on Hemant Soren’s image as chief minister.
The ED also filed a report containing the role of a ‘high-profile and powerful person’ in a sealed envelope before a Jharkhand court.
The court is yet to open the envelope, but India Today has learnt that it is likely to cause trouble for Hemant Soren.
The Election Commission hearing in Hemant Soren's case has been postponed several times, but trouble appears to be brewing for him both personally and professionally.
