ED Questions Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren in Money Laundering Case

ED Questions Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren in Money Laundering Case

VoM News Desk | January 20, 2024 | 02:39 PM IST | Jharkhand | Follow on Google News

ED Questions Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren in Money Laundering Case/NDTV

ED Questions Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren in Money Laundering Case

Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials have questioned Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren at his residence in Ranchi in connection with a money laundering case. The investigation is related to a large-scale illegal change of ownership of land by the mafia in Jharkhand. Three officers from Delhi are part of the team conducting the inquiry.

14 Arrests Made in Land Scam Case

The ED has already arrested 14 individuals in the case, including Chhavi Ranjan, a 2011-batch IAS officer who served in key positions within the state Social Welfare Department and as the deputy commissioner of Ranchi. The Chief Minister was given a ‘last opportunity’ to record his statement, which he deemed ‘illegal’ in his response to the summons.

Last Opportunity to Record Statement

Hemant Soren received a ‘last opportunity’ notice from the ED to record his statement under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. The summons provided a seven-day window for the Chief Minister to appear for questioning, with the place, date, and time to be mutually agreed upon by both parties.

Soren’s Earlier Responses to Summons

Earlier, Soren ignored summons in mid-August 2023, citing his engagement with the state’s Independence Day celebrations. Despite subsequent summons on August 24 and September 9, he did not appear, citing prior commitments. The ED issued a fourth summons, requiring Soren to report to the agency on September 23.

Soren’s Letter to ED

In response to the ED’s summons, Hemant Soren emphasized that he had already provided all necessary documents and information to the agency. He asserted that if the ED required additional information, they could refer to the documents previously shared.

VoM News Desk

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