The Jharkhand police summoned reporters with four New Delhi-based news channels in connection with a case registered by former chief minister Hemant Soren against officials of the Enforcement Directorate. 

As reported today by The Indian Express, the case was registered under the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. Soren alleged officials of the ED searched his home on January 29 to “harass and malign him and his entire community”. He also alleged the ED had informed the media of the search to “cause disrepute to him in the eyes of the general public”.

The report quoted the Ranchi senior superintendent of police as saying that reporters were summoned from News18, Zee News, Aaj Tak and News24 as part of the “ongoing investigation”. “We had asked them to come to Ranchi for an investigation, however, they have replied that they won’t be able to come. So, we will go to them,” he said.

The FIR names ED additional director Kapil Raj, assistant director Deovrat Jha, Anuman Kumar, Aman Patel and unnamed officials. Soon after the FIR was registered, they approached the Jharkhand High Court to contest the FIR against them.

Soren was arrested by the ED on January 31 in a land scam case. He resigned as chief minister shortly before his arrest.

Hours later, Aaj Tak anchor Sudhir Chaudhary launched an innuendo-laden tirade against the family, saying Soren’s night in jail would be like going back by “20, 30, 40 years like an Adivasi to the jungle”. A complaint was then filed against him under the SC/ST Act. Read all about it here.

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