Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren Challenges ED Summons in Supreme Court
Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren has approached the Supreme Court after opting not to attend the second summons issued by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in relation to an ongoing money laundering investigation. This case revolves around the alleged fraudulent sale of land parcels in the state capital.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!Sources familiar with the matter revealed that while Soren was present at his office in the state secretariat, a staff member delivered a sealed envelope to the zonal office of the federal agency. A senior official stated,
“The CM has informed that he won’t turn up as he has filed a writ petition over the issue.”
Previously, on August 8, the ED had summoned Soren for questioning, scheduled for August 14 at its zonal office in Ranchi. This was to record his statement under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. In response, Soren, labeling the summons as “politically motivated”, had urged the agency to retract it. He also hinted at the possibility of seeking legal intervention if the summons wasn’t withdrawn. Despite this, the ED proceeded to issue a second summons, directing Soren to present himself on August 24.
The ED’s probe encompasses two significant money laundering cases in Jharkhand. The first case is associated with illegal mining activities within the state. In relation to this, the Chief Minister was questioned by the agency on November 17 of the previous year.
The second investigation is centered on an alleged land scam in the state’s capital. In connection with this purported land scam, 13 individuals have been apprehended. This includes IAS officer Chhavi Ranjan, and businessmen Amit Agrawal from Kolkata and Bishnu Agrawal, a prominent shopping mall owner in Ranchi. The allegations suggest a fraudulent sale and purchase of land parcels in prime locations of the state capital.
As the situation unfolds, it remains to be seen how the legal proceedings will impact the political landscape of Jharkhand and the reputation of its Chief Minister, Hemant Soren.
