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Soren skips 6th ED summon, flies to Dumka
While Soren was asked to appear before the agency at its zonal office on airport road in Ranchi at 11 am, he drove past the office en route to the airport around 2 pm, and flew to Dumka where he addressed his government’s Sarkar Aapke Dwar programme.
Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren on Tuesday skipped the sixth summon sent by the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) and instead went to Dumka, where he attended his pre-scheduled event.
While Soren was asked to appear before the agency at its zonal office on airport road in Ranchi at 11 am, he drove past the office en route to the airport around 2 pm, and flew to Dumka where he addressed his government’s Sarkar Aapke Dwar programme.
“The CM would stay in Dumka overnight and would proceed to Jamtara on Wednesday to attend another event,” an official said.
Soon after the CM left for Dumka, a staff member from the chief minister’s office reached the ED office and submitted a letter on behalf of Soren, people aware of the matter said.
The CMO and ED officials did not disclose the contents of the letter.
Manoj Pandey, spokesperson of Soren’s party JMM, , said, “I am not aware of the reason quoted by the chief minister. It must be as per the legal advice.”
Rajesh Thakur, state unit president of Congress, questioned the timing of the summons.
“The agencies are well aware that the CM is busy with Sarakar Aapke Dwar programme. What is the hurry to call him within two days of issuing the summons. This is being done just to create fear but they won’t succeed,” said Thakur, whose party is a constituent of the ruling alliance in Jharkhand.
The federal agency had reportedly served the sixth summons to Soren on Sunday, asking him to appear before it for questioning on Tuesday in connection with an ongoing money laundering probe related to fraudulent sale-purchase of land in the state capital.
