Ranchi (Jharkhand): A Day after his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) leader and former Chief Minister Hemant Soren has been sent to one-day judicial custody by a special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court in Ranchi. The arrest is related to the ED’s investigation into an alleged land scam.
The Directorate of Enforcement had sought a 10-day remand for Hemant Soren, who was arrested on Wednesday night after undergoing six hours of questioning in connection with the money laundering case associated with the purported land scam. The court, presided over by Justice Dinesh Rai, reserved the order after considering arguments from both the prosecution and the defense.
The ED’s probe focuses on what it describes as a “huge racket of illegal change of ownership of land by the mafia.” The investigation suggests the involvement of forged official records, indicating fake sellers and purchasers through fabricated or bogus documents to acquire substantial parcels of land with a valuation in crores.
While the order for the remand has been reserved, the next hearing in the case is scheduled for tomorrow. The former Chief Minister’s arrest has added a layer of complexity to the political landscape in Jharkhand, with ongoing developments related to the formation of a new government and the delay in the swearing-in ceremony of the new Chief Minister. The situation remains dynamic as legal proceedings unfold in the money laundering case against Hemant Soren.
