ED issues fresh summons to Jharkhand CM Soren in corruption case

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has issued a fresh summons to Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren asking him to join an investigation in a money laundering case next week.

Soren has been asked to confirm his availability for questioning on either January 29 or 31, a report on PTI said citinig official sources.

No response

The agency had earlier asked Soren to join the probe between January 27 and 31. As there was no official response, it has issued a fresh letter-cum-summons to the 48-year-old politician.

Soren is also the executive president of the ruling Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM).

The ED recorded Soren's statement on January 20 after its investigators went to his official residence in Ranchi.

PMLA case

The statement was recorded under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) after a nearly seven hours the ED officials spent at his home.

PTI said the fresh summons was issued as the questioning was not completed that day.

14 arrests

The investigation pertains to a "huge racket of illegal change of ownership of land by the mafia" in Jharkhand, according to the agency.

The ED has so far arrested 14 people in the case including IAS officer Chhavi Ranjan, who served as the director of the state's Social Welfare Department and deputy commissioner of Ranchi.

(With agency inputs)