ED summons 'harassment’, says Soren; seeks 3-wk time

Hours after Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren said the ED summons to him was a "harassment tactic" by BJP and part of a conspiracy to destabilise his government, his office cited prior commitments and sought three weeks' time to appear before the agency.

- Sanay Sahay, ASRP Mukesh Dhritiman Ray TNN

Ranchi/ Raipur: 

"The CM has informed ED officials about his schedule and upcoming programmes for the next couple of weeks.

Refusing to cooperate ground for arrest?

By refusing to appear before ED, Soren may have limited his options. Under the PMLA, ED has a quasi-judicial authority. Soren's refusal to cooperate may be a ground for arrest. 

Will Soren refusal to cooperate with ED be ground for arrest?

New Delhi: By refusing to appear before ED despite summons, Jharkhand chief minister Hemant  Soren may have constricted his options.

Under the provisions of the Prevention Laundering Act of Money (PMLA) ED, the implementing agency under the Act, has been empowered to be a quasi-judicial authority having the same powers as vested in a civil court with regard to summons, production of documents and evidence recording under oath.