Ranchi:30/1/24: After remaining ‘untraceable’ for 30 hours amid talks of his possible arrest in an alleged land scam, Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren was seen coming out of his official residence after a meeting of MLAs of the ruling coalition on Tuesday.
Interestingly, Hemant Soren’s wife, Kalpana, was also present in the meeting.
This came a day after BJP leader Nishikant Dubey claimed that Hemant Soren’s wife might replace him as the chief minister of Jharkhand, coinciding with a 13-hour search by Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials at the JMM leader’s 5/1 Shanti Niketan residence in south Delhi in connection with the money laundering investigation.
Sarfaraz Ahmed, an MLA of the ruling Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), has resigned, reportedly to pave the way for Kalpana to contest election from Gandey.
In a letter dated January 29, Soren also informed the ED that he would appear for questioning at his residence at 1 pm on January 31.
According to India Today, the ED has amassed compelling evidence against Soren, implicating him in a land case, illegal mining, and coal mining in the state, and his arrest is imminent. The report further said that there is documentary evidence to link Soren with benami properties bought using proceeds of crime.
ABOUT KALPANA SOREN
Kalpana is from the Mayurbhanj in Odisha, the home district of President Droupadi Murmu. Kalpana got married to Hemant Soren on 7 February 2006. The 43-year-old Kalpana Soren holds an MBA and a master’s in engineering degrees. She is well-educated and admired by one and all in the JMM. She has two children, named Nikhil and Ansh. She has been strongly raising her voice for the rights of the tribal community, but she was earlier not active in politics. She is involved in organic farming and runs a school. She has three commercial buildings in her name with a net worth of Rs 4.87 crore.
Lately, Kalpana has been advising Hemant on numerous matters. She was also there at Hemant’s meeting with MLAs on Tuesday morning in Ranchi after returning to Ranchi.