• Source:PTI
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Land Scam Case: Days after several summons issued by the Enforcement Directorate, Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren told the probe agency that he could record his statement in a money laundering case at his secretariat on January 20, news agency PTI reported citing sources. This development came after ED sent him a letter on Saturday, asking him to be available for questioning in the case between January 16 and January 20.

In response to ED's 8th summon in the land scam case, Jharkhand CM stated that he would be available to record his statement on January 20, a person from the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) submitted Soren's reply to the ED's office in Ranchi.

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On December 30, 2023, ED issued a seventh summon to Soren for questioning in connection with an alleged land scam. The chief minister was asked to appear in person at the federal agency in Delhi office and get his statement recorded on a date convenient to him.

According to ED, the inquiry against Soren is related to a "huge racket of illegal change of ownership of land by the mafia" in Jharkhand. At least 14 people including 2011-batch IAS officer Chhavi Ranjan who has served as the director of the state Social Welfare Department and deputy commissioner of Ranchi, have been arrested in the case so far.

Bandhu Tirkey, State Congress working president, said the tribal community was angry with the way the central agency was targeting a tribal CM. "In every 12 years, the tribal community goes hunting. If they become angry, they don't see ED or CBI," he quoted by PTI.

(With Agencies Inputs)