ED issues 7th summons to Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren

The Enforcement Directorate ED issued a fresh summons to Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Saturday for questioning in connection with an alleged land scam with inputs from ANIThis is the seventh summons issued to CM Hemant Soren by the ED under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act 2002 asking him to record his statementThe agency has sought a response from the chief minister by December 31 failing which it will initiate further legal action under the provisions of the antimoney laundering lawThis is the seventh notice or summons issued to Soren but he has never deposed before the ED The first was issued for August 14 He had filed a petition before the Supreme Court and then the Jharkhand High Court seeking protection from the ED action and terming the summons unwarrantedBoth the courts had dismissed his petitionSoren had claimed in the High Court that the summons was issued out of malice and false allegations had been levelled against him with the sole motive of creating political uncertainty and unrest in JharkhandThe probe pertains to a huge racket of illegal change of ownership of land by the mafia in Jharkhand according to the EDThe agency has arrested 14 people in the case including 2011batch Indian Administrative Service IAS officer Chhavi Ranjan who had earlier served as the director of the state social welfare department and deputy commissioner of RanchiThe Jharkhand Mukti Morcha JMM leader was questioned by the ED in November last year in another money laundering case linked to alleged illegal mining in the stateSince you have not come to the office of the Directorate of Enforcement in obedience to the summonses issued to you we are giving you this last opportunity to record your statement under section 50 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act 2002 at the place date and time mutually convenient to you as well as the undersigned ED which should be within 7 days of receipt of this noticeSummons said the ED in its summon reported ANIThe agency has asked him to specify the place date and time within two days of receipt of this communicationDespite the issuance of six summonses you Hemant Soren have not appeared before this office citing unfounded reasons This nonappearance is impeding and hindering the progress of the investigation in the present case ED mentioned in the summons reported ANIThe ED issued the sixth summons on December 12 for questioning but the Chief Minister skipped the proceedingsCM Soren was first summoned by the ED earlier in midAugust in connection with a land scam case However the CM ignored the summons claiming that he was busy with the states Independence Day celebrationsHe was asked again to appear on August 24 and September 9 but he skipped the dates citing preoccupationsThe agency then issued its fourth summons to the Jharkhand CM asking him to report to the agency on September 23With inputs from ANI and PTI