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Former Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren has been remanded to judicial custody until February 22 by a special PMLA court in Ranchi. This legal action is part of the ongoing investigation into a money laundering case linked to an alleged land scam. Hemant Soren, the executive president of the ruling Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), was previously in the custody of the Enforcement Directorate (ED).
Hemant Soren was arrested on the night of January 31 following a seven-hour interrogation by the ED in connection with the money laundering case. He had resigned as the Chief Minister prior to his arrest. The ED had claimed to recover cash exceeding Rs 36 lakh from Soren, along with documents related to the ongoing investigation into the alleged acquisition of land through fraudulent means.
Advocate General Rajeev Ranjan, representing Hemant Soren, confirmed that the former chief minister was produced before the special PMLA court, and he has been remanded to judicial custody until February 22. Plans are underway to file a bail application on behalf of Hemant Soren. Following the court proceedings, Soren was taken to Birsa Munda Central Jail in Ranchi.
The Enforcement Directorate highlighted that land parcels spanning 8.5 acres were part of the alleged criminal proceeds acquired by Hemant Soren. The investigation revealed that Revenue Sub-Inspector Bhanu Pratap Prasad and others were part of a larger syndicate engaged in corrupt practices related to the forceful acquisition of properties and the use of false deeds. The probe focuses on the proceeds of crime generated through the forging of official records and the acquisition of land through fraudulent or bogus documents.
