There’s no end to former Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren’s troubles, as the ED digs deeper into the alleged land scam and stone mining cases against him. With more evidence reaching the central agency, including digital or electronic, and statements of accused or witnesses, there is now suspicion about the JMM leader’s role in the alleged coal scam in West Bengal.
In an application, the Enforcement Directorate has mentioned 11 grounds to arrest Soren, who was sent to judicial custody on Thursday. The agency stated that a revenue sub-inspector, identified as Bhanu Pratap Prasad, was actively involved in conspiring with other persons to illegally acquire and conceal properties, including those illegally acquired and possessed by the former CM.
“The details of the properties, which are illegally acquired and possessed by Hemant Soren have also been recovered from the mobile phone of Bhanu Pratap Prasad,” the ED stated in its application, of which News18 has a copy.
‘Illegal possession’ of land and cash
According to the ED application, the statement of a number of people has been recorded under Section 50 of Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, which establishes that the property is under Soren’s illegal acquisition, possession and use and has been kept concealed.
“A survey was conducted under Section 16 of the PMLA, 2002, on the said property, which established that the land is under illegal possession and occupation of Hemant Soren,” the application stated.
It further stated that searches at Soren’s residential premises at 5/1 Shantiniketan, New Delhi, led to the seizure of a huge amount of Rs 36.34 lakh in cash from inside a cupboard, along with other documents linked to the investigation into the acquisition of landed properties by fraudulent means. Soren and his party leaders, however, disowned the cash, stating it had been planted by the ED when he was away.
“Searches were conducted at several premises (in ECIR/RNZO/18/2022) including the premises of Bhanu Pratap Prasad, who was revenue sub-inspector, Bargain, Ranchi, and 11 trunks of voluminous property documents along with 17 original registers… were seized from his possession. Bhanu Pratap Prasad was custodian of many original registers (M II) in which the land records (ownership details) are maintained. Bhanu Pratap Prasad was involved in the corrupt practices, which included falsification of original records, and had been a party with several other persons in their activities linked to the acquisition of landed properties in a fraudulent manner,” the ED said.
“On the basis of this information, shared with the Jharkhand government under Section 66(2) of the PMLA, an FIR… was registered… against… Bhanu Pratap Prasad… The investigation into the above matter has revealed that Bhanu Pratap Prasad and others are a part of a very large syndicate, involved in corrupt practices of acquiring properties forcefully as well as on the basis of false deeds, falsification of government records, tampering with original revenue documents etc,” the ED added.
‘Active’ involvement
Defending its case and decision to arrest Soren, the ED explained his “active involvement” in the scam. “As per Section 3 of the PMLA, Hemant Soren has directly indulged in the process connected with acquisition, possession and the use of proceeds of crime. Hemant Soren is knowingly a party along with Bhanu Pratap Prasad and others in the activities connected with concealment of the original records for projecting the property acquired by him in an illegal manner as an untainted property,” the ED said in the application.
“Further, the process or the activity connected with the acquisition, possession and use of proceeds of crime by projecting it as untainted property is continuing… as he is still enjoying the said proceeds of crime by its possession, occupation and use by claiming it as an untainted property,” it added.
“Considering the facts and circumstances as stated above, and taking (into) consideration the activities and processes of money laundering which Hemant Soren is directly involved in. He also has been a party with… Bhanu Pratap Prasad and others; there is sufficient reason to believe that Hemant Soren is guilty of the offence,” the ED said.
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