ED summons Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren in illegal mining case

New Delhi, November 2

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has issued summons to Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren for questioning on November 3 in a money laundering case linked to alleged illegal mining in the state, officials said today.

Soren (47) has been asked to appear before the federal probe agency at its regional office in state capital Ranchi at 11 am on Thursday.

The ED wants to question and record the statement of the Chief Minister under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

It had earlier arrested Soren’s political aide, Pankaj Mishra, and two others — local muscleman Bachhu Yadav and Prem Prakash — in connection with the case.

The agency said it had “identified” proceeds of crime 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 July 8, covering 19 locations in Sahibganj, Barhait, Rajmahal, Mirza Chauki and Barharwa in Jharkhand in the case linked to alleged illegal mining and extortion.

“The investigation has revealed that Mishra, who enjoys a political clout, controls illegal mining businesses as well as inland ferry services in Sahibganj and its adjoining areas through his accomplices,” the ED had said in a statement.

“He exercises considerable control over the mining of stone chips and boulders as well as installation and operations of several crushers set up across various mining sites in Sahibganj,” the agency had alleged after filing a chargesheet in the case before a special court in Ranchi.