Responding to its notice, the Enforcement Directorate sought time from the Special MP- MLA court to file its affidavit in the disobeying notices served to Hemant Soren. The PMLA court in Ranchi heard the ED’s argument and posted the case for hearing on July 15. 

 The special MP-MLA court has summoned Hemant Soren umpteen times. But he had pleaded to allow him to pursue the legal proceedings in this court in his physical absence. This was denied by the appropriate court. 

The central agency ED had filed a complaint against Hemant Soren last year, saying he had failed to join the investigation under seven summonses issued to him, the first being on August 14, 2023. 

He should be prosecuted under the Indian Penal Code's section 174 (non-attendance in obedience to an order from public servant), the Enforcement Directorate (ED) had said in its complaint. 

Soren was arrested by the ED on January 31 on money laundering charges following a second round of questioning at his official residence in Ranchi. He resigned as the chief minister before he was arrested. 

Now, while the 48-year-old JMM leader was out of jail on bail granted to him and, thereafter,had taken oath and become Chief Minister, is learnt to have moved the Jharkhand High Court against the ED’s case of disobeying notices case. 

The high court is yet to hear his case. Legal records accessed by JharkhandStateNews.com states this.

“From the contents of the complainant (ED) and the material placed on record, prima facie offence under section 174 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860, is made out and there are sufficient grounds for proceedings under Section 204 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973, against accused Hemant Soren. 

This was the observation of the court of Chief Judicial Magistrate Krishna Kant Mishra on March 4.