Enforcement Directorate Exposes Hemant Soren’s Alleged Land Scam

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has accused former Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren of illegally occupying land in Bargain. Soren is seeking bail in a money-laundering case linked to the alleged land scam, arguing he has been falsely implicated. The court hearing is ongoing, with claims of political conspiracy.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) revealed on Wednesday to the Jharkhand High Court that former Chief Minister Hemant Soren played a vital role in illegally obtaining land in Bargain, Ranchi.

According to ED counsel S V Raju, Soren acquired the land in 2009–10 and constructed a boundary wall for securing its possession. Soren, also the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha's executive president, petitioned for bail on May 27 in a money-laundering case tied to the alleged land scam. The court requested ED's response by June 12, and the hearing is set to continue on Thursday.

The ED has conducted independent surveys and recovered several documents indicating tampered land records benefitting Soren, as stated by the counsel. Supreme Court advocate Kapil Sibal, defending Soren, argued for bail, asserting Soren was falsely implicated. Soren was arrested by the ED on January 31 and sought an early court hearing. Sibal contended that the claims about usurping an 8.86-acre plot in Bargain do not amount to a crime under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. Notably, he emphasized the lack of complaints from the original landowners at the time of the alleged 2009–10 eviction, only reported in 2023.

Sibal labeled the case as politically motivated, aiming to jail Soren without substantial evidence. He further suggested the ED fabricated documents to frame Soren. Original landowner Raj Kumar Pahan has begun restoration procedures for the contested land.

Previously, the Supreme Court criticized Soren for withholding critical information in his plea against arrest. It denied Soren's bail plea and noted discrepancies regarding Soren's transparency in related legal proceedings.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)