Jharkhand: ED arrests JMM leader among four in money laundering case against Hemant S
Jharkhand: ED arrests JMM leader among four in money laundering case against Hemant Soren
M.U.H
17/04/202454
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has made four fresh arrests in connection to the alleged money laundering case associated with illegal land acquisition, involving former Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren and others, official sources told PTI on Wednesday.
The individuals, namely Antu Tirkey, Priya Ranjan Sahay, Bipin Singh, and Irshad, were taken into custody under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The ED had previously conducted searches at Tirkey’s premises and others in this regard.
With these recent arrests, the total count of individuals detained in connection to this case has now reached eight, PTI reported.
Soren, aged 48, was arrested by the ED in January shortly after his resignation as chief minister. Currently held in Birsa Munda jail at Hotwar under judicial custody, Soren faces charges related to the acquisition of an 8.86-acre plot of land in Ranchi.
Prime accused Bhanu Pratap Prasad, a former revenue department sub-inspector, along with Mohammed Saddam Hussian and Afshar Ali, have also been apprehended in this case.
The investigation against Soren revolves around the aforementioned Ranchi land plot, which the ED claims was illegally acquired by him. A chargesheet has been filed against Soren, Prasad, and individuals purportedly acting as Soren’s “frontmen” and associates before a special PMLA court on March 30. Additionally, the ED has requested the court to confiscate the attached Ranchi land.
This money laundering probe originates from multiple FIRs registered by the Jharkhand Police concerning land “scam” cases involving various individuals, including state government officials.
The primary accused, Prasad, who was responsible for government records, is alleged to have misused his official position by facilitating illegal occupation, acquisition, and possession of proceeds of crime in the form of landed properties. The ED asserts the existence of a land mafia racket in Jharkhand, purportedly involved in forging land records in Ranchi.