The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has issued a letter-cum-summons to Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren seeking his availability for questioning in a money laundering case linked to an alleged land scam, as per official sources on Saturday.
The central agency has asked Soren to inform his availability to the investigating officer for questioning under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), specifying the date, venue, and time of his preference. A response from the chief minister is sought by December 31, and in the absence of such, the ED will initiate further legal action under the anti-money laundering law.
Notably, this marks the seventh notice or summons issued to Soren, who has yet to appear before the ED. The initial summons was issued for August 14. Soren had sought protection from ED action through petitions filed in both the Supreme Court and the Jharkhand High Court, characterizing the summons as “unwarranted.” However, both courts dismissed his petitions.
In the High Court, Soren contended that the summons was malicious, with false allegations aimed at generating political uncertainty and unrest in Jharkhand. The ED’s investigation revolves around an alleged “huge racket of illegal change of ownership of land by the mafia” in Jharkhand.
The ED has already made 14 arrests in connection with the case, including Chhavi Ranjan, a 2011-batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer who previously served as the director of the state social welfare department and deputy commissioner of Ranchi. Hemant Soren, a leader of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), underwent questioning by the ED in November of the previous year in a separate money laundering case linked to alleged illegal mining in the state.
