The Directorate of Enforcement (ED) has summoned Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren for questioning on August 14 in connection with a money laundering case, people familiar with the matter said on Tuesday.
Soren has been asked to depose before the federal agency at its zonal office in Ranchi and record his statement under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), they said.
The federal agency has been probing two major cases of money laundering in the state. The first case is related to illegal mining in the state and the second is related to alleged land scam in the state capital.
Soren, also the executive president of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), was questioned by ED on November 17 last year in the case linked to alleged illegal mining in the state. The people said Soren could be questioned in connection with the land scam on August 14.
At least 13 persons, including Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer Chhavi Ranjan and two businessmen- Amit Agrawal of Kolkata and Bishnu Agrawal-, who owns shopping malls in Ranchi, have already been arrested in connection with the land scam.
The federal agency has made these arrests on allegations of fraudulent sale-purchase of land parcels at prime locations in the state capital, including two in possession of Indian defence establishment.
In its remand notes, the agency has informed the special court that a syndicate, which includes government officials, land brokers and businessmen, was active in the state which is involved in fraudulent sale-purchase of land using fake documents and tampering with land records in Ranchi and Kolkata.
