India's Enforcement Directorate (ED) office said on Wednesday that it had summoned Jharkhand state chief Hemant Soren in a money laundering case linked to illegal mining in the state, NDTV reports.
The agency said it wants to question Soren on the matter and record his statements runder the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
The ED informed a special court in September that it had detected the illegal mining of stones in the Sahibganj district and adjoining areas of Jharkhand -- all under the control of Soren's close aide and Barhait Assembly lawmaker Pankaj Mishra.
The estimated value of the mines is approximately INR 11 billion ($132 million).
A first information report (FIR) was filed following a complaint by local businessman Sambhu Nandan Kumar, who was allegedly asked by Mishra not to participate in a tender for the Barharwa toll in Barhait. After about six months of investigation, the ED found that Mishra was enjoying “political clout” and “controls” the illegal mining business in the Sahibganj district.
In July, the ED arrested Mishra and two others in the same case after carrying out statewide raids and seizing millions of rupees from Mishra's bank accounts.
So far, the ED has searched 47 locations in the state as part of the investigation.