‘Missing’ Jharkhand CM: Governor summoned Chief Secretary, DGP

Ranchi: Amid speculation that Chief Minister Hemant Soren will reach Jharkhand on Tuesday, Governor CP Radhakrishnan has summoned Chief Secretary L Khyangte, DGP Ajay Kumar and Home Secretary Avinash Kumar to take stock of the law and order situation in the state. According to sources, Soren quietly left his Delhi residence early on Monday, barely hours before the ED team reached there. The Chief Minister left his residence early in the morning with one of his associates, after which there has been no trace of him. When ED officials reached Soren’s residence at around 8 am on Monday morning, he was not at his residence. ED officials stayed there for a few hours and left when the Chief Minister was not found. Security personnel outside Jharkhand Raj Bhavan regarding the law and order situation after ED seized cash and an SUV from Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren. Meanwhile, in view of JMM’s warning that the agitation by party workers could turn violent, Section 144 has been imposed around the Chief Minister’s residence, Raj Bhavan and the office of the Enforcement Directorate (ED). Amidst all these apprehensions, Jharkhand has been put on alert, especially those districts where JMM has its stronghold. Apart from this, security has been beefed up at the Chief Minister’s residence, Raj Bhavan, ED office, BJP office as well as the offices of top BJP leaders in the state. All MLAs of the ruling coalition have been asked to stay in the state capital. They have already started reaching Ranchi. A meeting is going to be held at the Chief Minister’s residence in Ranchi, which will be presided over by Soren. Security personnel outside Jharkhand Raj Bhavan regarding the law and order situation after ED seized cash and an SUV from Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren. Congress MLA Amba Prasad said, “Chief Minister Hemant Soren has not been kidnapped and he will be present at the meeting to be held at his residence on Wednesday.” An e-mail sent by Chief Minister Hemant Soren’s office to the ED on Monday claimed that he would be available for questioning at his residence in Ranchi on January 31 at 1 pm in the alleged land scam case.