Section 144 imposed near CM's residence, Raj Bhavan, ED office

RANCHI: A curfew under Section 144 of CrPC has been imposed within a 100-metre radius of the Jharkhand Chief Minister's residence, Raj Bhavan and, the office of the ED in Jharkhand's Ranchi. This comes amid the questioning of Chief Minister Hemant Soren by the central agency in connection with a money laundering case linked to an alleged land scam.

An official order regarding the curfew was issued by the Sub-Divisional Office on Wednesday, in anticipation of rallies, processions, or protests against the ongoing questioning of CM Hemant Soren in connection with a money laundering case.

Earlier in the day, a team of ED officials arrived at the residence of Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren for questioning in connection with a money laundering case linked to an alleged land scam.

After the meeting was concluded late at night at Soren's residence in Ranchi on Tuesday, JMM MP Mahua Maji informed that in the meeting, Hemant Soren said that he is ready to face the Enforcement Directorate on January 31 and has absolutely no fear.

The ED officials visited the residence of Soren in the national capital on Monday night to question him in connection with an alleged land scam case and said that the Jharkhand Chief Minister could not be located.

As per sources, the ED had issued a fresh summons to Soren, asking him to be available for questioning on January 29 or 31, or else the agency itself would go to him for questioning. This is the tenth summons issued to the Jharkhand Chief Minister by the ED.

There was a heavy police deployment around the Chief Minister's residence in Ranchi. Meanwhile, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) workers gathered at Morabadi ground against the ED's action.

The workers were gathered in large numbers and were continuously chanting "Hemant Soren Zindabad." The JMM workers have planned to march to Raj Bhavan as a sign of protest against the ED's action in Jharkhand.