The security has been heightened in Jharkhand's capital Ranchi ahead of Chief Minister Hemant Soren's questioning by the Enforcement Directorate in connection with an alleged money laundering case. According to reports, Section 144 of CrPc has been imposed and additional forces deployed in Ranchi in order to thwart any untoward incident. Meanwhile, the security has also been tightened around the Chief Minister's house.
According to an official release, the prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the CrPC are effective from 9 am to 10 pm within a radius of 100 metres at key locations, including the CM House, Raj Bhavan and the ED office at Doranda. As part of the restrictions, demonstrations, rallies or meetings cannot be held in and around these areas. This comes as the Enforcement Directorate sought extra security from the Jharkhand government ahead of Soren's questioning.
Soren to be questioned today
Notably, the ED is set to question Soren shortly in Ranchi. The special team is led by Finance Secretary Prashant Kumar. It also features Mines Director Arva Rajkamal and Special Branch IG Prabhat Kumar, the officials said.
Why security has been heightened?
Following protests that took place across the state on January 20 during Soren’s questioning by sleuths of the ED at his residence in Ranchi, the federal agency wrote to the Department of Home, Prison and Disaster Management to ensure law and order during the second round of quizzing on Wednesday, an official release said.
As part of the security measures, barricades have been put up outside the ED office and the chief minister’s residence, and more than 1,000 security personnel were deployed at strategic locations, a senior police officer said. DGP Ajay Kumar Singh had said on Tuesday that elaborate security arrangements have been made across Jharkhand to maintain law and order, including the deployment of an additional 7,000 policemen.
Charges against Soren
It should be mentioned here that Soren is being questioned as part of a probe into a "huge racket of illegal change of ownership of land by the mafia" in Jharkhand. Earlier on Tuesday, the probe agency seized Rs 36 lakh, two SUVs and some "incriminating" documents during search operations at his house in Delhi.
(With PTI inputs)
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