"PM Should Also Be Summoned": Hemant Soren's Party On Probe Agency Summons

In a major breakthrough after the news of Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren summoned by the Enforcement Directorate on Thursday aired, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) Party leader Manoj Pandey alleged the Centre government of vendetta politics.

"PM should also be summoned in several cases," Mr Pandey said.

"We'll approach the Court if there's injustice. Don't know if the ED can summon a Chief Minister. If so, the Chief Minister will respond after consulting legal experts," JMM leader told ANI.

Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren has been summoned by Enforcement Directorate (ED) on November 3 for investigation over contravention of the Representation of the People Act, 1951 and in a money laundering probe linked to an illegal mining case in the Sahebganj district.

While reacting to ED's summon to Hemant Soren, Jharkhand BJP State President Deepak Prakash said, "The law will not spare the one who does wrong. Jharkhand people are apprised of the fact that Hemant Soren has taken an illegal mining lease in the name of his Press Advisors, his key aide MLA Pankaj Mishra, and his wife. There has been a scam of thousand crores. If the ED is summoning the Chief Minister, it is a welcome move."

Asked about the JMM's party leader's allegations of the Centre doing 'vendetta politics', Deepak Prakash said that the people, who are accusing are those who did the work of looting the mineral wealth of Jharkhand, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha leaders have resolved to ransack the poor.

Meanwhile, another BJP leader from West Bengal, Saumitra Khan supported the ED's move. "One always has to pay for wrong deeds. If the Chief Minister did something wrong then he will pay for it," Mr Saumitra said.

Notably, Mr Soren has been asked by the agency to appear before its Ranchi-based regional office by 11.30 am.

The ED's move came almost a month after it seized a passbook and a chequebook, including two signed cheques, of Soren from the home of his alleged close associate Pankaj Mishra, who enjoyed political clout being the representative of Soren and exercised considerable control over illegal mining businesses as well as inland ferry services in Sahebganj and its adjoining areas through his accomplices.

Mr Mishra is in judicial custody now for exercising control over the mining of stone chips and boulders as well as installation and operations of several crushers set up across various mining sites in Jharkhand's Sahebganj district.

The ED made the revelations after it filed a Prosecution Complaint under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002 before the special court at Jharkhand's capital Ranchi against Pankaj Mishra, Bachhu Yadav, and Prem Prakash.

During the investigation, 47 searches were conducted by the ED throughout India on several dates resulting into the seizure of Cash amounting to Rs 5.34 crore, freezing of bank balances amounting to Rs 13.32 crore, freezing of an inland vessel MV Infralink -III, reg. No- WB 1809, 5 number of stone crushers, two Hyva trucks besides the seizure of incriminating documents along with two numbers of AK 47 Assault Rifles.

ED had arrested Pankaj Mishra on July 19, Bachhu Yadav on August 4 and Prem Prakash on August 25. All the accused persons arrested so far are presently in judicial custody.

ED initiated money laundering investigation on the basis of the First Information Report registered by Barharwa Police Station, Sahebganj under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, 1860, against Pankaj Mishra and others.

Later on, several FIRs regarding illegal mining lodged under IPC, Explosive substances Act, Arms Act have also been taken into the ambit of scheduled offence.

Till date, the ED has identified Proceeds of Crime relating to illegal mining to the tune of more than Rs 1,000 crore in this case.

"PMLA Investigation revealed that Pankaj Mishra, who enjoys political clout, being the representative of the Chief Minister, MLA from Barhait, Sahebganj, Jharkhand controls the illegal mining businesses as well as inland ferry services in Sahebganj and its adjoining areas through his accomplices," the ED had said earlier in a statement.

Proceeds of Crime amounting to Rs 42 crore approximately acquired by Pankaj Mishra have been identified till date, the ED has said.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)