Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren on Thursday did not appear before the Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) office where he was expected around 11.30 am following a summon in connection with an alleged illegal mining case, a police official said.
“As per our information, the CM is not arriving at the office today,” a police official said.
Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) spokesperson Manoj Pandey said the chief minister is well within his rights to react to the development legally. “The chief minister is taking legal opinion on the summon and acting accordingly.”
Pandey, however, said he does not have information whether or not the CM has responded to the ED summon in writing.
The ED had on November 1 summoned Soren for questioning in connection with its money laundering probe into the alleged case of illegal mining in Jharkhand.
Also Read:ED summons Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren in illegal mining probe
Soren was asked to appear at ED’s Ranchi’s office, officials said.
The JMM leader will likely be questioned about the activities related to the illegal mining and its large-scale transportation allegedly in association with his political aide Pankaj Mishra, who was arrested in July in connection with the case.
The federal agency has also arrested Mishra’s aides Bachhu Yadav and Prem Prakash.
