Hemant Soren Summoned for Questioning in Money Laundering Case by ED
The Enforcement Directorate intensifies its probe into a money laundering case, issuing the 10th summons to Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren for questioning between January 29 and 31.
RANCHI – In a significant development, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has issued the 10th summons to Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren early Saturday morning.
The latest summons requests CM Soren’s presence for questioning between January 29 and 31.
This follows the ninth summons issued on January 22, which had asked the Chief Minister to appear between January 27 and January 31.
Responding to the ninth summons, CM Soren had written to the ED on January 25, citing his busy schedule and promising to address the summons later.
The ED’s persistent approach is evident as it reissued the summons on January 27, emphasizing their readiness to visit the Chief Minister if he fails to comply.
This ongoing investigation relates to a substantial land ownership alteration racket involving the mafia in Jharkhand.
On January 20, ED officials recorded Soren’s statement for the first time under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), spending nearly seven hours at his Ranchi residence.
The reissuance of the summons suggests that the questioning was incomplete during this initial encounter.
The ED has arrested 14 individuals in connection with the case, including 2011-batch IAS officer Chhavi Ranjan.
Ranjan previously held key positions in the Jharkhand government, including the director of the state’s Social Welfare Department and deputy commissioner of Ranchi.
