ED Summons Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren In Illegal Mining Case, JMM Leader Questions Legality

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has summoned Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren for questioning on 3 November.

Soren has been asked to appear before the federal probe agency at its regional office in the state capital Ranchi in a money laundering case linked to alleged illegal mining in the state.

The ED had earlier arrested his political aide Pankaj Mishra and two others in this case. Now, the agency wants to question and record Soren's statement under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

Meanwhile, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) leader Manoj Pandey questioned ED's authority to summon a CM and called it "vendetta politics."

"We will approach Court if there's injustice. Don't know if ED can summon CM. If so, CM will respond after consulting legal experts. Is it legal to summon him for those allegations?," he said.

The agency has said it has "identified" proceeds of crimes relating to illegal mining in the state to the tune of more than Rs 1,000 crore till now.

The ED probe began after the agency raided Mishra and his alleged associates on 8 July, covering 19 locations in Sahibganj, Barhait, Rajmahal, Mirza Chauki and Barharwa in Jharkhand.

(With inputs from PTI)