The Directorate of Enforcement (ED) has summoned senior IAS officer Rajiv Arun Ekka, who was recently removed as principal secretary to Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren, to join probe and appear for questioning before it on Wednesday, people aware of the development said on Tuesday.
Officials in the federal agency said summon was served to Ekka on Monday. “He has been requested to appear before the agency at its zonal office in Ranchi on Wednesday,” said an official, not willing to be named.
The development comes a week after BJP leader Babulal Marandi released a 22-second video clip wherein Ekka is purportedly seen signing a file, allegedly at a private office owned by one Vishal Chaudhary, who is already under scanner of the federal agency. Premises related to Chaudhary, a businessman, were also raised by ED soon after arrest of IAS Pooja Singhal last year.
A BJP delegation had also visited the ED office last week and submitted the video clip while demanding a probe.
It was, however, not clear whether Ekka has been summoned in connection with the ongoing money laundering probe against Singhal, or a fresh case has been recorded by the federal agency related to the video.
Meanwhile, the Soren government has also initiated an inquiry by a a commission headed by a former Jharkhand high court chief justice in the entire controversy.
Ekka, who also held additional charge of home, prisons & disaster management and information & public relations, besides being principal secretary to the CM, was transferred to panchayati raj department within hours after the BJP released the video.
Taking cognisance of the incident, the state government has instituted the one-member commission of inquiry headed by former HC chief justice Vinod Kumar Gupta, with a mandate of submitting its finding report in six months.
The order issued by the personnel department on Monday said the inquiry was being instituted as the government considers the issue to be of “public importance, necessitating a thorough, independent and impartial inquiry”.
Meanwhile, Ekka on Tuesday replied to the ED summon requesting for fresh date for appearance after March 24.
“He has requested for time after March 24 as Vidhan Sabha is in session till then. His request is under examination,” an ED official said.
