"No evidence against me; ED trying to tarnish my image": Hemant Soren

NEW DELHI: Former Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren alleged that the Enforcement Directorate (ED) tried to tarnish his image by conducting raids at his Delhi residence. A day after Soren's arrest, the Jharkhand Chief Minister Soren released a video message in which Soren claimed that he was not linked to the money laundering case in which he was arrested.

"Most probably ED will arrest me today, but I am not worried as I am Shibu Soren's son...After a full day of questioning, they decided to arrest me in a planned manner on matters that were not related to me," Soren said in a video message recorded just before his arrest.

After a prolonged moment of speculation in the media and a hide-and-seek drama, Jharkhand Chief Minister and Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) Chairperson Hemant Soren was arrested by the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) in the land scam case on Wednesday night.

"No evidence has been by them found yet. They also tried to spoil my image by conducting raids at my Delhi residence. We have to fight a new fight now against those who commit atrocities against the poor, Adivasis, Dalit and the innocent," he added. He further said that he has to fight a new battle against those people who are accusing the inncocent people--the poor, Adivasis, Dalit.

"Struggle is in our blood and we will do that. I will not cow down. Ultimately truth will prevail and will win the battle," Soren said. Earlier on Wednesday evening, JMM Chief Hemant Soren met Governor CP Radhakrishnan at Raj Bhawan and handed over his resignation after over six hours of questioning by the ED in connection with a money laundering probe linked to the alleged land scam case.

Jharkhand Transport Minister Champai Soren, who was named as JMM legislative party leader, after Hemant Soren's arrest, claimed that he has the support of 47 MLAs and will continue to safeguard the pride of the state.

"We will continue to work to safeguard the pride of Jharkhand. We have staked claim to form the government in the state. We have the support of 47 MLAs. You have seen how the voice of the Adivasis here has been suppressed over the years," he said.

Recently, Champai Soren wrote a letter to Governor CP Radhakrishnan, staking a claim to form the new government in the state. Champai Soren, the state transport minister, is a seven-time MLA and he represents the Seraikella constituency in Jharkhand. Before joining the JMM, he was an independent MLA.

According to the ED, CM Soren was questioned as a part of the probe into the 'huge racket of illegal change of ownership of land by the mafia'. The probe pertains to huge amounts of proceeds of crime generated by forging official records by showing 'fake sellers' and purchasers in the guise of forged or bogus documents to acquire huge parcels of land having value in crores.