SC fixes Sep 18 for hearing Hemant Soren’s plea against ED summons

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Friday fixed September 18 for hearing the plea filed by Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren against summons issued by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to him in connection with a money laundering case.

A bench comprising Justices Aniruddha Bose and Bela M. Trivedi acceded to the request made by the counsel appearing on Soren’s behalf seeking adjournment till Monday, September 18.

Advocate Zoheb Hossain, representing ED, told the bench that similar pleas challenging the vires of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 are already pending for consideration before the top court.

The bench said that it will take up the matter for hearing on September 18.

The writ petition has been instituted under Article 32 of the Constitution after ED had summoned Soren to appear before it on August 24 in connection with the land grabbing case, where the central agency has already arrested 13 people, including an IAS officer.

Previously, the Chief Minister of the state was questioned in connection with the illegal mining case for around 10 hours along with his wife at ED's Ranchi office.

Recently on September 1, fresh summons were issued to Soren for a third time to join the probe initiated by the anti-money laundering agency.

During investigation, it has been revealed that the accused used documents from 1932 to wrongfully seize people's lands and would tell the victims that their lands had already been sold by their fathers or grandfathers.

The accused allegedly took possession of the lands given on lease to the Army and fraudulently sold them elsewhere. Although the case is from Jharkhand, its ramifications are extended to Bihar and Kolkata.