Hemant Soren’s money laundering case has resulted in four arrests, including the JMM leader, by the ED in Jharkhand
According to official sources who spoke to PTI on Wednesday, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has made four more arrests in relation to the suspected money laundering case linked to unlawful property purchase that involves former Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren and others.
Under the terms of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), Antu Tirkey, Priya Ranjan Sahay, Bipin Singh, and Irshad were placed under arrest. In this context, the ED had already searched Tirkey’s property as well as others.
According to PTI, there are now eight people being held in relation to this case as a result of these latest arrests.
Not long after he resigned as chief minister in January, 48-year-old Soren was taken into custody by the ED. Soren is being kept in judicial custody at the Birsa Munda prison in Hotwar. He is accused of purchasing an 8.86-acre tract of property in Ranchi.
In this case, Mohammed Saddam Hussian, Afshar Ali, and prime accused Bhanu Pratap Prasad—a former sub-inspector for the tax department—have all been captured.
The aforementioned Ranchi property parcel, which the ED asserts Soren unlawfully obtained, is the focus of the inquiry against him. Before a special PMLA court on March 30, a chargesheet has been filed against Soren, Prasad, and those allegedly serving as Soren’s “frontmen” and allies. Furthermore, the ED has asked the court to seize the Ranchi property that is attached.
This investigation into money laundering stems from many First Information Reports (FIRs) that the Jharkhand Police filed over land “scam” instances involving different people, including state government officials.
It is claimed that the main accused, Prasad, who was in charge of government records, abused his official position by enabling the unlawful occupancy, purchase, and ownership of landed properties obtained via criminal activity. The ED claims that there is a land mafia ring in Jharkhand that is allegedly engaged in Ranchi land record forgeries.
