Special PMLA Court to Frame Charges as High Court Denies Relief to Soren

Ranchi – After the Jharkhand High Court dismissed Chief Minister Hemant Soren's plea for a discharge, the Special PMLA Tribunal has scheduled a charge‑framing hearing for September 19. The case concerns a disputed 8.86‑acre land parcel in Badgaon, which the Enforcement Directorate alleges was obtained through a money‑laundering scheme.

The tribunal's earlier order on June 8 had already rejected Soren's discharge application, stating that the records on file provided a prima facie basis for the investigation. The High Court’s latest judgment upholds that stance, refusing to intervene in the lower court's process.

The upcoming hearing will allow the prosecution to present its compiled evidence—fake documentation, falsified land registry entries and corroborating statements from alleged witnesses. Defense counsel is expected to challenge the authenticity of the documents and question the chain of custody.

If the tribunal finds the evidence adequate, formal charges will be framed against Soren alongside other accused, including former minister Antu Tarkey and architect Vinod Kumar Singh, marking a critical escalation in the case.