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In a groundbreaking move, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) arrested Hemant Soren, former Jharkhand Chief Minister, under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). This arrest follows a complex operation by the federal agency, attempting to apprehend the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) leader in Delhi. Despite teams being deployed at his residence and the airport, Soren managed to evade authorities and reach Ranchi by road on Tuesday. The ED alleges that Soren is a key beneficiary in an alleged land scam in Ranchi, where a network of brokers and businessmen falsified records in registrar offices to create fake deeds of landed parcels, subsequently selling them.
The arrest occurred moments after Soren demitted the office of the Jharkhand Chief Minister. Officials claim to have evidence that Soren acquired a parcel of land under investigation, which was unlawfully obtained by others through forged documents. The ED has been investigating the alleged land scam and had filed a charge sheet on June 12, 2023, naming several individuals and companies, including Kolkata-based businessman Amit Kumar Agarwal. Agarwal is suspected to be a key figure handling tainted funds of various politicians, including the former Jharkhand CM.
The ED charge sheet alleges that the scam involved usurping prime land parcels, including a 4.55-acre defense land in Morabadi Mouza and a 7.6-acre land parcel in Hehal, both in Ranchi, valued at over ₹74 crore at the current market price. The accused individuals are accused of creating fake deeds using manufactured identities and falsifying original land records in Circle Offices and Registrar of Assurances in Kolkata and Jharkhand. The ED has recovered documents related to at least 27 properties where fake deeds were created.
Soren is expected to be produced before a court on Thursday, where the ED will outline the exact charges against him. The agency’s investigations aim to uncover the depth of the alleged land scam involving influential figures in Jharkhand.
Sources By Agencies
