Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh on Thursday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah of indulging in “vendetta politics” with the aim of politically harassing opposition leaders. Ramesh made these remarks during a press conference in Murshidabad, West Bengal, following the arrest of former Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on charges of money laundering.
“Hemant Soren is being investigated now. The BJP has only one agenda now; they don’t want Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra to become successful. Lalu Yadav, associates of MK Stalin, and AAP leaders are being questioned by ED and CBI. This only points towards that G2, Narendra Modi, and Amit Shah believe only in politics of vendetta and political harassment,” stated Jairam Ramesh.
Meanwhile, Hemant Soren, the former Chief Minister of Jharkhand, has approached the Supreme Court against the ED’s actions, accusing the federal agency of abusing its power. In his petition, Soren called his custody illegal, malafide, and without jurisdiction. The top court has agreed to list the petition for an urgent hearing on Friday, February 2.
The ED produced Hemant Soren before a PMLA court in Ranchi amid heavy security deployment. Soren, in a video message released after his arrest, claimed that he was not linked to the money laundering case for which he was arrested. He alleged that the ED was acting in a malafide manner to destabilize a democratically elected government in Jharkhand.
In his video message, Soren expressed determination not to bow down and emphasized that the truth would prevail. He called for a war against a feudal system that oppresses poor people, Dalits, and tribals. The former Chief Minister shared a poem on social media, conveying his resolve not to compromise.
The investigation by the ED pertains to significant amounts of proceeds of crime generated by forging official records. The alleged manipulation involves showing fake sellers and purchasers through forged or bogus documents to acquire large parcels of land valued in crores. The political fallout of Hemant Soren’s arrest adds to the ongoing debate about the use of investigative agencies for political purposes.
