Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren, after abstaining from seven previous summons issued by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), has now acquiesced to participate in the probe agency's inquiry scheduled for January 20. This development pertains to a money laundering case intertwined with an alleged land scam.
Soren's decision to cooperate with the ED materialized in the wake of the agency's eighth summon. In response, he has proposed that the questioning take place at the Chief Minister's secretariat on January 20, and he has expressed his willingness to provide a statement.
Just two days ago, the ED had dispatched a firm directive to Soren, urging him to record his statement between January 16 and January 20. While allowing for the possibility of ED officials visiting the Chief Minister at his residence in Ranchi in case of his unavailability at the ED office, it was emphasized that the state government would be responsible for maintaining law and order during the proceedings.
Soren, in previous instances, had accused the BJP-led central government of utilizing federal agencies to destabilize his administration. The specific focus of the case centers around the alleged illicit alteration of land ownership in Jharkhand, with Soren likely to face inquiries regarding his purported ownership of the contested land. To date, 14 individuals have been apprehended in connection with this case.
Attempting to seek protection from ED action, Soren had filed petitions before both the Supreme Court and the Jharkhand High Court. However, both courts dismissed his plea, paving the way for his forthcoming appearance before the probe agency.
In a related development, the properties of Soren's media advisor, Abhishek Prasad Pintu, underwent scrutiny in connection with an illegal mining case amounting to Rs 1,250 crore on January 3.
