ED raids Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren's associates in money laundering case

In a development on Wednesday morning, the Enforcement Directorate conducted raids at the residence of Abhishek Prasad, the press advisor to Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren. The search operations were part of the agency's investigation into an alleged money laundering case, according to sources familiar with the matter.

According to the agency sources, searches were carried out at 12 locations including the residences of Abhishek Prasad and Deputy Commissioner of Sahebganj. Chief Minister Soren was issued a last opportunity by the ED on December 30 last year, to record his statement in an alleged land scam. Soren said the summons was illegal.

The Enforcement Directorate issued the seventh summons to Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002, urging him to provide a statement. Soren has thus far ignored six previous summons. The initial summons was issued in mid-August in relation to a land 'scam' case. However, the Chief Minister cited his busy schedule with the state's Independence Day celebrations as the reason for not responding to the summons.