SC refuses to entertain Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren's plea against ED summons
New Delhi (PTI): The Supreme Court on Monday refused to entertain Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren's plea against the Enforcement Directorate's (ED) summons in a case of alleged money laundering.
A bench of Justice Aniruddha Bose and Justice Bela M Trivedi granted Soren the liberty to approach the Jharkhand High Court for relief in the matter.
Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi claimed in the court that this is a complete case of a witch-hunt.
"Mr Rohatgi, why don't you go to the high court? No no, go to the high court. We will permit you to withdraw," the bench said. The matter was dismissed as withdrawn.
Additional Solicitor General S V Raju, appearing for the ED, submitted that the issue is covered by a large number of judgments.
Soren has moved the apex court challenging the summons sent to him to depose at the federal agency's office in Ranchi on August 14 and record his statement under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.
Earlier, Soren had skipped the ED's summons in an alleged defence land scam case citing pre-scheduled events.
The 48-year-old Jharkhand Mukti Morcha leader was interrogated for over nine hours by the ED on November 17 last year in connection with another money-laundering case linked to alleged illegal mining in the state.
The central probe agency is investigating more than a dozen land deals, including one related to defence land, wherein a group of mafia, middlemen and bureaucrats allegedly connived to forge deeds and documents of as long back as 1932.
The ED has arrested several people so far in the state, including Soren's political aide Pankaj Mishra.
Soren was initially summoned by the ED on November 3, 2022, but he did not appear citing official engagements. He had even dared the central probe agency to arrest him and then sought a three-week deferment of the summons.
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Efforts of party cadres will be rewarded on May 4: DMK chief Stalin
Chennai (PTI): Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on Friday said that the efforts made by his party cadres during the Assembly elections would be rewarded on May 4.
The counting of votes for the Assembly elections held on April 23 will be taken up on May 4.
"We are set to reap the rewards of the hard work put in by our party cadres on the coming fourth (May 4 counting day). There is absolutely no change in this and not even the slightest deviation," Stalin said at a May Day event here.
"There is no need for anyone to assume that I am speaking merely on the basis of exit polls," he added.
Stalin, who is also DMK chief, said that "good news" would come for those eagerly waiting for the election results.
Stating that the DMK governance is based on philosophy and principles, Stalin said, "This will continue."
He recalled the pivotal role of the then Chief Minister C N Annadurai, who first declared May Day as a government holiday, and subsequently, late CM M Karunanidhi, who was instrumental in extending it as a paid holiday across the nation.
"Responding to the request of Kalaingnar (Karunanidhi), the then Prime Minister V P Singh accepted the plea and declared it (May 1) a paid government holiday not merely for Tamil Nadu, but for the entire nation," Stalin said.
