Enforcement Directorate (ED) has moved against an 8.86-acre plot of land in Ranchi that it claims belonged to Hemant Soren, the former chief minister of Jharkhand. The federal agency stated on Thursday that this is a part of an investigation into money laundering involving him and his associates.
Under the Prevention of Money LaunderingAct (PMLA) here, a charge sheet was filed on March 30 against the 48-year-old JMM leader and four other people: Bhanu Pratap Prasad, Raj Kumar Pahan, Hilariyas Kachhap, and Binod Singh. The case was heard in a special court. According to the ED’s statement, the court on Thursday acknowledged the prosecution’s complaint.The 8.86-acre plot of land that Soren owns has been demanded by the ED from the court. After questioning him at his Ranchi home, the ED took him into custody in January. At that point, he had already resigned as chief minister. He is being held in judicial custody at Ranchi’s Birsa Mundal Central Jail at the moment.
The ED’s investigation is based on multiple First Information Reports (FIRs) that the Jharkhand Police filed in land “scam” cases involving a variety of people, including public servants.Prasad, a former employee of the Jharkhand revenue department, is the principal accused in this case. He is charged with abusing his position by assisting a number of individuals, including Soren, in unlawful occupation, acquisition, and possession of land obtained through criminal activity. It said, “A group of land mafia is active in Jharkhand, forging land records in Ranchi.”
The ED found that land ownership documents had been falsified in order to support this land mafia. The land was sold to other people based on these falsified documents. “Original land records of ownerships are either tampered or concealed to facilitate unlawful acquisition, possession, and use of such properties,” according to the agency.As per the charge sheet filed by the ED, Prasad was a member of a syndicate that engaged in land acquisition through deceitful means such as falsifying documents and manipulating government records.
The 8.86 acres of land in Baragain Anchal, Bariyatu Road, Ranchi that Soren is said to have purchased is valued at Rs 31,07,02,480 based on urban residential property rates.
According to the agency, Soren has owned this property from 2010 to 2011. Additionally, it claimed that Soren and Prasad misrepresented the land as untainted property and were knowingly involved in activities related to the proceeds of crime.
It is alleged that Singh, Pahan, and Kachhap, the other accused, deliberately assisted Soren with the proceeds of the crime.When questioned by the ED, Soren claimed he didn’t know Prasad and had no connection to the property.
On January 29, during searches of a Delhi home used by Soren, the ED discovered evidence-gathering documents, a luxury BMW, and cash valued at Rs 36.34 lakh. According to the agency, Soren purchased the vehicle directly from a showroom that same day.
