Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren at his residence in Ranchi
Credit: PTI Photo
Ranchi: Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren went on an unplanned visit to Delhi after the Enforcement Directorate issued fresh summons, asking him to join the investigation in a money laundering case.
Soren travelled to the national capital on Saturday night, triggering speculations.
His trip to Delhi came in the backdrop of the ED asking him whether he would be available for questioning on either January 29 or January 31.
"The visit was not planned. The sudden plan was made after the issuance of a fresh summons by the ED. He has his scheduled events lined up, including a programme in Chaibasa on January 29, in Palamu on January 30, and in Giridih on January 31", an official, who did not wish to be named, said.
A source said that Soren went to Delhi for legal consultations. However, this could not be corroborated by the Chief Minister's Office.
The central agency had recorded the chief minister's statement on January 20 at his official residence under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
It was learnt that the fresh summons was issued as the questioning was not completed that day.
The investigation pertains to a 'huge racket of illegal change of ownership of land by the mafia' in Jharkhand, according to the agency.
The ED has so far arrested 14 people in the case, including 2011-batch IAS officer Chhavi Ranjan who served as the director of the state's Social Welfare Department and deputy commissioner of Ranchi.
Meanwhile, Soren's party JMM staged protests against fresh summons issued by the ED Soren.
Hundreds of JMM workers gathered in the Morabadi Grounds here from Ranchi, Latehar, Gumla and Lohardaga and took out a protest march to the Raj Bhavan.
The agitators alleged that a conspiracy was hatched by the BJP to destabilise a democratically elected government in the state and central agencies like ED and CBI were being misused for it.