The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has seized 8.86 acres of land in Ranchi, allegedly belonging to former Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren, as part of a money laundering probe, the federal agency reported Thursday.
The ED filed a charge sheet against the 48-year-old JMM leader and four others — Bhanu Pratap Prasad, Raj Kumar Pahan, Hilariyas Kachhap, and Binod Singh — on March 30 before a special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court in Ranchi.
The court acknowledged the prosecution complaint on Thursday, according to a statement by the ED.
The agency sought the confiscation of the 8.86-acre plot.
Soren was arrested in January by the ED after being questioned at his official residence in Ranchi. He resigned as chief minister shortly before his arrest and is currently in judicial custody at Birsa Munda central jail in Ranchi's Hotwar.
The money laundering investigation originated from multiple FIRs registered by Jharkhand Police in land "scam" cases against various individuals, including government officials.
The prime accused, Prasad, a former Jharkhand revenue department official, is alleged to have "misused" his official position by aiding several individuals, including Soren, in illegal occupation, acquisition, and possession of proceeds of crime in the form of landed properties, the agency said.
"A racket of land mafia is active in Jharkhand, which used to forge land records in Ranchi," the agency claimed.
During the investigation, the ED discovered that ownership records of lands had been "forged" to favor the alleged land mafia. Subsequently, based on forged land records, such land parcels were sold to other individuals.
Prasad, according to the ED charge sheet, was part of a syndicate involved in acquiring lands through fraudulent means, including tampering with original government registers and falsifying government records.
The land allegedly acquired by Soren is approximately 8.86 acres in size and located at Baragain Anchal, Bariyatu Road in Ranchi. The land was valued at Rs 31,07,02,480 according to the ED charge sheet.
The agency claimed Soren was in "possession" of this immovable asset since 2010-11 in a "camouflaged and concealed" manner.
Furthermore, the agency accused Soren of "misusing his power and influence" to create "parallel and false evidence" since he was first summoned for questioning in August 2023.
The ED stated it has recorded statements from individuals alleging that the land, which Soren is accused of acquiring, was originally owned by their ancestors and was forcefully taken by Shibu Soren (Hemant Soren's father) and Hemant Soren.
The agency claimed that since the property was vacant and no construction had been done on it, Soren, along with others, illegally asserted it as 'Bhuinhari' property and evicted the previous occupants.
Soren denied any link to the property and claimed no relation with Prasad during his statement to the ED.
During searches at a residential house controlled by Soren in Delhi, the ED seized Rs 36.34 lakh cash, a BMW car, and incriminating documents on January 29.
Soren reportedly claimed he used the car on the same day, which he purchased by personally visiting the vehicle showroom.
The ED stated it has arrested 16 people in the case, including IAS officer and former Ranchi district collector Chhavi Ranjan, Amit Kumar Agarwal, and Prem Prakash.
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