GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 15th Sept. The Supreme Court adjourned the hearing on Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren’s petition against the Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) summons in an alleged money laundering case till September 18.
A panel of Justices Aniruddha Bose and Bela M Trivedi retracted the case after learning that senior counsel Mukul Rohatgi would represent Soren.
“I am requesting the matter be heard on Monday. Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi is leading us,” a junior counsel said.
The submission was approved by the bench.
Soren has filed an appeal with the Supreme Court, challenging the summons to appear on August 14 at the federal agency’s Ranchi office and record his statement under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.
Soren has already avoided an ED summons in an alleged defence land scam case, citing pre-scheduled events.
On November 17, last year, the ED grilled the 48-year-old Jharkhand Mukti Morcha leader for more than nine hours in connection with another money laundering case relating to alleged illegal mining in the state.
The federal investigation agency is looking into more than a dozen land deals, including one involving defence land, in which a group of mafia, brokers, and bureaucrats allegedly conspired to forge deeds and documents dating back to 1932.
So far in the state, the ED has arrested many people, including Soren’s political associate Pankaj Mishra.
The ED initially summoned Soren on November 3, 2022, but he did not appear, citing official obligations. He also dared the central investigation agency to arrest him and then sought a three-week delay in the summons.
Comments are closed.