Enforcement Directorate presents evidence linking Soren to land scam
The Jharkhand High Court heard the bail plea of former Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Wednesday.
RANCHI – The bail plea of former Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren was presented in the Jharkhand High Court, where the Enforcement Directorate (ED) laid out its evidence linking Soren to a significant land scam.
ED’s Evidence and Claims
The ED presented documents recovered during various raids, indicating Soren’s involvement.
Evidence found at the residence of Bargai Zone employee Bhanu Pratap included numerous documents related to the land scam.
According to the ED, chats recovered from Vinod Singh’s mobile revealed plans to construct a banquet hall on 8.86 acres of land, a project allegedly overseen by Helerius Kachhap on Soren’s behalf.
Statements and Allegations
Bargai Zone CO Manoj Kumar stated that Bhanu Pratap was directed to survey the land following instructions from Uday Shankar, who works in the CMO, and former CM Soren’s press advisor, Abhishek Prasad Pintu.
Prasad, in his statement, asserted that he acted on Soren’s instructions regarding the land.
Defense and Court Proceedings
Hemant Soren’s defense questioned the validity of the evidence.
The ED countered, stating that the evidence was collected and sealed in the presence of Jharkhand government officials, with signatures obtained on the list of seized documents.
Ongoing Hearings
The court, presided over by Justice Rangon Mukhopadhyay, has scheduled the next hearing for Thursday, June 13, where the ED will continue its arguments.
