"Missing" Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren Traveled To Ranchi From Delhi By Road To Meet MLAs While ED Seized Cash, Luxury Car

On Tuesday (30 January), Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren arrived in Ranchi early and convened a meeting of lawmakers to discuss the current political situation.

Amid ongoing scrutiny by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) at Delhi airport, the Chief Minister chose to make the 1,200 km journey back to Ranchi by road, according to a report from Hindustan Times.

The ED has been closely monitoring Delhi airport in an attempt to trace Hemant Soren.

The agency had searched his residence in south Delhi on Monday, seizing around Rs 36 lakh in cash, a BMW SUV suspected to be registered under a benami name, and some documents.

Soren was not present at his south Delhi residence when the ED team arrived.

The ED had earlier asked Soren to appear for further questioning in a money laundering probe, and he informed the agency that he would appear on 31 January at his residence in Ranchi.

The ED's probe is related to an alleged land scam involving a parcel of land in Ranchi, and Soren has dismissed the case as politically motivated.

The agency has arrested 14 people in connection with the case, including a 2011-batch IAS officer and businessmen who own shopping malls in Ranchi.

Soren was earlier reported "missing" for the past 24 hours as BJP's Jharkhand unit alleged that the Chief Minister is "absconding" and urges the Governor to take note.

Governor CP Radhakrishnan stated that he is "keeping a watch on the overall situation."