Land Scam Case: The Enforcement Directorate issued a summon to Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren for questioning in connection with an alleged land scam, news agency ANI reported citing sources. This is the seventh time when Soren has been issued a summons by the agency. The chief minister has been asked to appear in person at the federal agency in Delhi office and get his statement recorded on a date convenient to him.
"ED issued a seventh summons to CM Hemant Soren under section 50 of the PMLA asking him to record his statement at the place, date and time mutually convenient to him as well as the agency in ongoing land scam," ANI quoted as sources saying.
Earlier, Soren was asked to appear before the federal agency on December 12 but the chief minister skipped the proceedings. The ED had called Soren in the middle of August in connection with a land scam case. However, he ignored the summons and claimed he was busy with the state's Independence Day celebrations.
In October, Soren moved to Jharkhand High Court challenging the ED summons against him. He moved to the state high court after his petition was rejected by the Supreme Court.
Soren filed a petition in the top court challenging the summons issued against him, saying the case against him was a clear case of abuse of law by the Central Government and misuse of the Central agencies to destabilize the democratically elected Government of the State of Jharkhand.
(With Agency Inputs)