Money Laundering: Hemant Soren Gets Ultimatum from ED

Ranchi is on high alert and as per information, ED has seized mobile phones of all the staff in Delhi's Jharkhand House. Hemant Soren has been asked to appear before the agency by January 31.

New Delhi: A team of the Enforcement Directorate has given an ultimatum to Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren to appear by January 31 or face the heat in a money laundering case. The team met Soren at his residence here on Monday. He has also been asked to choose a date and venue for the appearance.

As per sources, ED search is underway at his residence. Sources added that some important documents have allegedly been recovered and seized related to the case. Meanwhile, the agency officials have seized mobile phones of all staff in the Jharkhand house in New Delhi.

Recently, the probe agency issued a fresh summons to Soren and asked him to appear before it again in an ongoing investigation in an alleged money laundering case. Notably, after ED issued a fresh summons to Soren, he came to the national capital on an unplanned visit. The probe agency had earlier issued several summons to him and asked to join the investigation in this case.

Meanwhile, Jharkhand Chief Secretary L Khyangte has called a meeting of all the Principal Secretaries and Secretaries. The security of the CM's residence has also been beefed up.

An ED team had interrogated Soren on January 20 at his Ranchi residence in the land scam case. This interrogation lasted for 7 hours. The ED has so far sent 10 summons to CM Hemant Soren.

Soren is under the ED scanner over a land situated in Bariatu area of Ranchi. The 8.46-acre land has 12 plots. But the entire land has been cordoned off.

ED had conducted raids in the case on April 13, 2023. Relevant documents were found at residence of the then Deputy Revenue Inspector Bhanu Pratap Prasad.

A case was registered in the Ranchi Sadar police station in May 2023.

During the course of investigation, Badgai CO Manoj Kumar, employee Bhaun Pratap Prasad and guard had alleged that the land belonged to the Chief Minister.