Jharkhand’s Hemant Soren to attend dinner at Rashtrapati Bhavan, skip ED summons

Hemant Soren’s office confirmed that the chief minister will be in New Delhi on Saturday to attend the dinner. He was summoned by ED officials for questioning on September 9

RANCHI: Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren will leave for New Delhi on Saturday to attend the dinner hosted by Rashtrapati Bhavan for G20 leaders, the chief minister’s office said on Friday, indicating that the chief minister may again miss appearing before the Enforcement Directorate (ED).

Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren’s office confirmed that he will travel to Delhi for the Rashtrapati Bhavan dinner for G20 leaders (PTI)

“CM Hemant Soren would leave for New Delhi tomorrow to attend the dinner hosted by President Droupadi Murmu in wake of the G-20 Summit,” the chief minister’s office said in a statement.

Soren skipped the first ED summons in connection with the agency’s ongoing probe into an alleged land scam on August 14. Instead, he asked ED to withdraw its summons, insisting that the charges against him were “politically motivated” and threatening to “take legal action” against the agency.

The ED issued another summons, asking him to appear on August 24. Soren skipped it again, pointing out to his petition before the Supreme Court challenging the summons issued to him.

Subsequently, ED issued a third summons to Soren, asking him to appear at its regional office in Ranchi on September 9.

ED has also filed a caveat in the Supreme Court in connection with Soren’s petition, which is yet to be heard.