Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren continues to face difficulties as the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has issued a fresh summons for questioning in a case related to alleged financial irregularities in a land scam. According to sources, Soren has been asked to appear before the federal agency’s office and file a statement under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). It should be noted that the Chief Minister is scheduled to appear before the ED on December 12.
This is the sixth time that a notice has been issued to Soren. Despite receiving five previous summons, he has never appeared before the ED as he had filed a petition in the Supreme Court seeking protection from the agency’s action.
The ED is investigating a case in which it is alleged that there is a large racket of illegal conversion of land ownership rights in Jharkhand by mafia. So far, 14 people have been arrested in this case. Among the arrested individuals is IAS officer Chhavi Ranjan, who belongs to the 2011 batch and has previously served as the Director of the State Social Welfare Department and as Deputy Commissioner of Ranchi.
The ED had also questioned a 48-year-old leader of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) last November in another case related to alleged financial irregularities in illegal mining in the state.
झारखंड के मुख्यमंत्री हेमंत सोरेन को एक और मुश्किल का सामना करना पड़ रहा है। प्रवर्तन निदेशालय ने कथित भूमि घोटाले से जुड़े धनशोधन के मामले में पूछताछ के लिए एक नया समन जारी किया है। यह पहली बार नहीं है कि सोरेन को ऐसा समन जारी किया गया है, पहले पांच समन जारी होने के बावजूद उन्होंने कभी पेश नहीं हुए हैं। वर्तमान मामले में झारखंड में माफियाओं द्वारा अवैध तरीके से जमीन के मालिकाना हक में बदलाव का एक रैकेट चल रहा है। अभी तक 14 लोगों को गिरफ्तार किया गया है, जिसमें शामिल हैं भारतीय प्रशासनिक सेवा अधिकारी छवि रंजन भी। पिछले साल भी ईडी ने सोरेन के खिलाफ अवैध खनन के मामले में पूछताछ की थी।
