It has been requested that Hemant Soren, who has ignored the ED summons nine times, confirm his availability for questioning on January 29 or 31, according to the statement.
Prior to receiving an official response, the central agency had requested that Hemant Soren join the investigation on any day between January 27 and January 31. As a result, the 48-year-old lawmaker was served with a new letter-cum-summons.
The first time Soren’s statement was recorded in the case was on January 20, following an investigation by the ED team to his official Ranchi residence. During the roughly seven hours that the investigators were at his residence, the statement was recorded in accordance with the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
The investigation agency even investigated the homes of Soren’s press advisor, Sahibganj district authorities, and a former MLA earlier this month as part of a money laundering investigation into suspected illicit mining in the state.
Since 2022, the ED has been looking into a trail of “proceeds of crime” totalling Rs 100 crore that were brought about by illicit mining activities in the state.
In the course of the investigation, the inquiry agency has detained 14 persons thus far. Among them is Chhavi Ranjan, an IAS officer from the 2011 batch who held the positions of deputy commissioner of Ranchi and director of the state’s Social Welfare Department.
