Land Scam Case: After Skipping 7 Summons, Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren Likely to Appear Before ED Today

Ranchi: Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren is slated to appear before Enforcement Directorate on Saturday in connection with a money laundering investigation connected to an alleged land scam. According to sources, Soren has agreed to be present for the questioning after skipping seven summons. The Jharkhand CM has written a letter asking the federal agency to record his statement at his residence. According to sources, ED officials are slated to reach Soren's residence after 12 pm. Moreover, ED has written a letter to Chief Secretary and the DGP seeking protection for its officials while conducting the probe on CM Soren.

The case pertains to obtaining a piece of land, between 8 to 13 acres, by allegedly using illegal means. The ED is looking into to Soren's alleged ownership of the land and whether he generated any proceeds of crime.

ED had previously issued a summon to Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren's press advisor, Abhishek Prasad to join its investigation on January 16 into an alleged money laundering probe linked to an illegal mining case. ED concluded its day-long search of Soren's media advisor Abhishek Prasad's residence in Ranchi late on January 3. The Chief Minister was issued a 'last opportunity' by the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) to record his statement in an alleged land scam days ago. Soren, in turn, replied to the agency, labelling the summons as 'illegal.'

"Since you have not come to the office of the Directorate of Enforcement in obedience to the summonses issued to you, we are giving you this last opportunity to record your statement under section 50 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002, at the place, date and time, mutually convenient to you as well as the undersigned (ED), which should be within 7 days of receipt of this notice/Summons," said the ED in its summons.

Soren was summoned by the ED earlier in mid-August, 2023, in connection with a land 'scam' case.

However, the CM ignored the summons, claiming that he was busy with the state's Independence Day celebrations. He was asked again to appear on August 24 and September 9 but he skipped the dates, citing preoccupations. The agency then issued its fourth summons to the Jharkhand CM, asking him to report to the agency on September 23.
In his letter to the agency, Soren said he had provided all necessary documents and information to the ED. He wrote that if the ED needed any information, it could refer to the documents that he had already shared with the agency.

(With inputs from ANI)