Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren was taken into custody by the Enforcement Directorate this evening, minutes after quitting the post. Transport minister Champai Soren, one of the veteran leaders of the ruling Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, will step into his shoes.
Hemant Soren was taken into custody in connection with an alleged land scam, minutes after meeting the governor and handing in his resignation.
Sources said he had discussed the matter with the officials, declaring that he would sign the arrest memo only after stepping down.
Mr Soren, who had evaded seven summons for questioning in an alleged money laundering case linked to a Rs 600 crore land scam, was anticipating arrest for a while.
Yesterday, he even held a meeting with MLAs of the ruling alliance where the question of his successor was discussed.
Initially, it was expected to be his wife,Kalpana Soren. But given the proximity of the state elections – due in November – the party had to drop the idea.
By-elections cannot be held in the last year of any state assembly’s term
and Kalpana Soren could not have been elected as an MLA even if she was named the Chief Minister.
