The Enforcement Directorate is likely to initiate the process to issue a non-bailable warrant against Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren if he fails to appear before the agency on September 23 in connection with a land mining case and alleged illegal possession of land parcels in Ranchi.
This is the fifth summons directing the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) leader to appear before the ED, said a senior source at the agency. Soren had skipped three summons issued earlier.
According to the rules under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), the ED may issue a non-bailable warrant if an accused or someone who is under investigation skips three consecutive summons.
Soren moved the Supreme Court last month seeking relief, but a division bench of the apex court refused to entertain his plea and asked him to appeal before the High Court. The Jharkhand CM then withdrew his petition. Sources in the JMM said Soren would move the High Court as per the Supreme Court’s direction.
Over the last six months, Hemant Soren has been summoned by the ED four times in connection with the alleged land and stone mining scams. Soren honoured one of the summons, but skipped the others and filed a writ petition before the Supreme Court seeking a stay on the investigation.
In the petition, Soren pleaded that he was being targeted for “being a vocal participant and integral part of the (Opposition) alliance” and for not being “aligned with the NDA”. He sought quashing of the ED summons.
Explaining the delay in initiating the process for a non-bailable warrant, a senior ED officer said: “Hemant Soren filed a writ petition before the Supreme Court and it was pending. We waited for the SC’s direction, but the division bench refused to grant a stay. Instead he was directed to approach the HC. He may approach the HC. However, we may initiate the process to issue an NBW against him if he chooses to not appear before the ED on September 23."
ALLEGATIONS AGAINST SOREN
Hemant Soren has been facing money laundering charges in connection with two cases, which are currently being investigated by the ED under sections of the PMLA. Jharkhand government’s advocate general Rajiv Ranjan earlier told News18 that the cases and charges filed by the ED against Soren are “baseless and devoid of merit".
Ranjan added that the Chief Minister had submitted all relevant documents to the agency. “However, he is being summoned repeatedly which is against the federal structure.”
One of the cases pertains to stone mining which the ED has allegedly traced to Soren and his purported connections. Sources said political associations have also been detected in another alleged land deed fraud. Details of the cases were first reported by News18 last month.
After the SC turned Soren away, the BJP said the JMM leader would not be able to run away from the ED and other central agencies for long. “There are serious corruption charges against him and he has to face the probe," said BJP spokesperson Syed Zafar Islam at a press conference at the party headquarters on September 18.
