Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren skipped the second summons from the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for questioning on Thursday in connection with an ongoing money laundering case related to the fraudulent sale of land parcels in the state capital and has moved the Supreme Court against it, people familiar with the matter said.
While Soren attended his office in the state secretariat, a staff member delivered a sealed envelope at the zonal office of the federal agency, the people said.
“The CM has informed that he won’t turn up as he has filed a writ petition over the issue,” a senior official said.
On August 8, the ED summoned Soren for questioning on August 14 at its zonal office in Ranchi to record his statement under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. Describing it as “politically motivated”, Soren had questioned the summons and asked the agency to withdraw it, warning that he would be forced to take legal recourse.
However, the agency rejected the allegation and issued a second summons to Soren, asking him to appear before it on August 24.
The federal agency has been investigating two major money laundering cases in the state. The first case is related to illegal mining in the state. The agency questioned the CM in connection with the mining case on November 17 last year.
{{/usCountry}}The federal agency has been investigating two major money laundering cases in the state. The first case is related to illegal mining in the state. The agency questioned the CM in connection with the mining case on November 17 last year.
{{/usCountry}}The second case pertains to an alleged land scam in the state capital. Thirteen individuals, including IAS officer Chhavi Ranjan, and two businessmen, Amit Agrawal of Kolkata and Bishnu Agrawal, who owns shopping malls in Ranchi, have already been arrested in connection with the alleged land scam.
The ED has made these arrests on allegations of fraudulent sale-purchase of land parcels at prime locations in the state capital.