ED reveals allegations against Hemant Soren in chargesheet

PTC News Desk: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has revealed a labyrinth of corruption and deceit within a staggering Rs 600 crore land scam in Jharkhand, with former Chief Minister Hemant Soren now facing accusations. Alongside Soren, revenue officer Bhanu Pratap Prasad and two other government employees find themselves embroiled in the accusations.

Soren's involvement in an alleged racket facilitating illegal changes of land ownership by mafia elements in Jharkhand sparked the investigation. His resignation as Chief Minister shortly before his arrest underscored the gravity of the situation. The chargesheet, obtained by NDTV, lays bare damning statements and documents implicating Hemant Soren as an integral figure in the so-called 'land mafia,' benefitting from the proceeds of illicit activities.

During the course of the investigation, authorities stumbled upon a pivotal 44-page file within Prasad's office, shedding light on an 8.86-acre land parcel purportedly owned by Hemant Soren. The chargesheet reveals that Prasad routinely referred to Soren as his 'boss.' The Enforcement Directorate asserts that Hemant Soren illicitly seized control of the 8.86-acre land in Ranchi's Bargain area as early as 2011.

The property, now valued at Rs 31 crores, has been seized by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), marking a significant development in the case. According to ED's findings, the usurpation of this land involved key associates of Hemant Soren, namely Ranjit Singh, Hilarius Kachhap, and Rajkumar.

The agency alleges that Bhanu Pratap was complicit in a syndicate orchestrating fraudulent alterations to government land documents to facilitate land grabs, with the involvement of several government officials, including Hemant Soren. Photographic evidence of two surveys conducted on the property directly implicates Bhanu Pratap among the accused. Santosh Munda, the caretaker of the property, affirmed its ownership under the reference of "Minister Ji," pointing towards Hemant Soren.

A retrieved photo from accused Binod Kumar's mobile device revealed plans for constructing a bank hall on the property, adding another layer of evidence to the allegations. In his statement to the ED, Hemant Soren professed ignorance regarding the property and maintained silence regarding his communications with Binod.

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Bhanu Pratap's reference to Hemant Soren as his superior underscores the alleged orchestration of the land grab on the 8.86 acres, involving the manipulation of government records, according to the agency. Diaries and messages recovered from another accused's phone shed light on financial transactions involving Bhanu Pratap, further corroborating the allegations.

With statements from 33 witnesses and the seizure of thousands of pages of documents, the ED's investigation has delved deep into the intricacies of the case. During the raid at Hemant Soren's residence in Delhi, authorities confiscated Rs 36 lakh in cash and a BMW car. The ED has now seized properties valued at Rs 256 crores, which were allegedly unlawfully acquired by this syndicate. To date, 16 individuals have been arrested in connection with the case, including Hemant Soren and former Ranchi DC, IAS officer Chhavi Ranjan.

Hemant Soren vehemently denies the allegations, attributing them to what he perceives as the BJP's exploitation of probe agencies to destabilise democratically elected governments.

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(Inputs from agencies)

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