Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren skips fifth summons of ED in land scam case

Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren skips ED summons to inaugurate dairy plant in Palamu. He had earlier moved Supreme Court challenging summons but was asked to approach Jharkhand HC. ED wants to question him in land scam case.

Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Wednesday skipped the fifth summons of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the land scam case. Instead, Mr. Soren chose to inaugurate a dairy plant in Palamu district.

Mr. Soren had earlier moved the Supreme Court challenging the summons but the apex court asked him to approach the Jharkhand High Court. He had filed the plea last week but the Jharkhand court is yet to take up the plea.

He was summoned to the agency’s office on October 4 for questioning in the land scam case; however, the Chief Minister went to Palamu with his pre-scheduled programme. It was already anticipated that Mr. Soren would not go to the ED office this time as well because he is anticipating that the Jharkhand court will dismiss the summons of the probe agency. 

In the fifth summons sent to Mr. Soren, the ED had given him notice to appear at its Ranchi office at 10.30 a.m. on Wednesday. However, the schedule of Chief Minister’s Palamu programme was also released two days ago.

The ED wants to question Mr. Soren in connection with alleged grabbing of land in the Bariatu area of Badgai in Ranchi. Documents related to these lands were found from the mobile phone of arrested Revenue Sub Inspector Bhanu Pratap Prasad. The ED had started the investigation on the basis of documents found in the mobile phone. The agency had also recorded the statement of Mr. Prasad and the then Circle Officer of the Badgai zone. Following the arrest, the agency summoned Mr. Soren.

The ED had sent the first summons to appear on August 14, the second summons on August 24, third summons for September 9 and the fourth summons for September 23.