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The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has escalated its actions by issuing a seventh summons to Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren in connection with a money laundering case linked to an alleged land scam. The ED has sent a letter-cum-summons, urging Soren to provide his availability for questioning in the ongoing investigation.
ED Issues Seventh Summons to Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren. Under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), the Chief Minister has been requested to communicate the date, venue, and time of his preference for recording his statement. Soren is expected to respond to the letter by December 31; otherwise, the agency may initiate further legal action under anti-money laundering provisions.
This marks the seventh summons issued to Soren, who has yet to appear before the ED. Despite several notices, the Chief Minister has not deposed before the agency. The initial summons was issued for August 14, and subsequent notices have been met with legal challenges.
Seventh summons to Soren. Soren filed petitions before both the Supreme Court and the Jharkhand High Court seeking protection from the ED’s actions, arguing that the summons were unwarranted. However, both courts dismissed his petitions.
The ED’s investigation centers around an alleged “huge racket of illegal change of ownership of land by the mafia” in Jharkhand. Fourteen individuals, including a 2011-batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer, have been arrested in connection with the case. The ED’s actions aim to address concerns related to illegal land transactions and financial improprieties, contributing to heightened political tension in Jharkhand.
