Security beefed up ahead of J'khand CM Soren's questioning by ED

RANCHI: Security has been beefed up around the Chief Minister's house and zonal office of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) here on Saturday, ahead of the scheduled questioning of CM Hemant Soren by the federal agency sleuths in a money laundering case linked to an alleged land scam.

The ED officials are scheduled to visit the CM House around noon for questioning in connection with the case.

Barricading was done outside the ED office and CM residence.

Senior Superintendent of Police, Ranchi, Chandan Kumar Sinha told PTI: "More than 1,000 security personnel have been deployed. Three-layer security has been ensured."

Ranchi administration has ensured three-layer security arrangements around the probe agency's office and CM House to avoid any untoward incident, he said.

There will be restrictions on traffic movement near CM's residence until the questioning gets over, the official said.

The agency had sent a letter on January 13 asking the chief minister to be available for questioning in the case between January 16 and January 20.

In reply, Soren told the ED it can record his statement on January 20 at his residence.

Amid protest by the JMM and several tribal outfits, the probe agency wrote to the chief secretary, director general of police and the Ranchi senior superintendent of police to ensure security and to maintain law and order when ED officials visit the CM's residence to question him, an official said.