SC asks Jharkhand CM Soren to approach HC against ED summons

The Supreme Court on Monday asked Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren to approach the state high court to challenge the summons issued to him by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with a money laundering case.

“Why don’t you go to the high court?,” asked a bench comprising Justices Aniruddha Bose and Bela M. Trivedi to senior advocate Mukul Rohtagi, representing Soren. 

The bench granted the liberty to approach the jurisdictional high court dismissing the plea as withdrawn and declined to pass any interim relief in the matter. 

Soren approached the Supreme Court after the anti-money laundering agency had summoned him 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 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.