The Jharkhand chief minister had skipped first summons
Law Kumar Mishra
Patna, November 9
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has sent a second summon to Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren and asked to appear on November 17.
The Chief Minister had skipped first summon as he was asked by the ED to appear on November 3 in connection with his alleged involvement in illegal sand mining. In the month of July and August, the ED had arrested two of Soren’s close aides in connection with money laundering and illegal mining.
After the first notice that was served on November 1, Soren and his ruling party Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) went in an offensive mode. Instead of appearing, Soren organised a massive show of strength and even dared ED to arrest him. Soren later went to Raipur in the evening to attend a programme.
However, the Chief Minister later sought three weeks’ time citing his busy engagement. The Chief Minister office had officially released his packed programme till November 15. The state government had also convened a special assembly session on November 11.
Considering all the schedules of the Chief Minister, the ED today served the summon to Soren and asked to appear for questioning at its Zonal office in Ranchi on November 17.
Meanwhile, the ED had questioned builder Vishnu Agrawal regarding in connection with Bariatu Indian Army land scam. The ED on Friday last conducted searches in around a dozen locations in West Bengal and Jharkhand as part of a money laundering probe into alleged illegal occupation and sale of defence land in Jharkhand.
The Ranchi municipal corporation had lodged a police complaint in April after a departmental probe into land records revealed the collusion of a few businessmen in Ranchi and Kolkata, and Jharkhand government officials in the sale of an Army land measuring 4.45 acre in Bariatu of Ranchi using forged documents.
