Enforcement Directorate Summons To Jharkhand Chief Minister In Mining Case

Ranchi:

Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren has been summoned by the Enforcement Directorate in a money laundering probe linked to an alleged mining scam in the state.

Hemant Soren has been asked by the probe agency to join the investigation tomorrow at its regional office in Ranchi. 

The ED had earlier arrested the Chief Minister’s aide Pankaj Mishra and two others in the case. The arrest was made after the probe agency carried out statewide raids in July and seized Rs 11.88 crore from the bank accounts of Mr Mishra. Rs 5.34 crore of “unaccounted” cash was also found at his home. 

The ED also recovered a passbook of Hemant Soren and some cheques signed by him from the home of Mr Mishra – the prime accused in the case. 

In its chargesheet, the ED claimed that Pankaj Mishra, the political representative of Hemant Soren, “controls” illegal mining business in the Chief Minister’s assembly constituency Barhait through his accomplices.

The chargesheet was filed against Pankaj Mishra and two of his aides – Bachhu Yadav and Prem Prakash.

The ED, which is probing a trail of several crores of “proceeds of crime” generated from the alleged illegal mining in the state, has seized Rs 37 lakh so far. 

In August, the probe agency also questioned Soren’s press advisor Abhishek Prasad in the case.

Mr Soren is currently facing an office of profit charge for allegedly granting himself a mining lease in 2021. 

The Election Commission has reportedly recommended the disqualification of the Chief Minister following a BJP complaint alleging that he violated election rules by extending a mining lease to himself.