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Tag: Hemant soren

  • Hemant Soren drops plea against arrest after SC questions ‘conduct’

    The Supreme Court on Wednesday criticised Hemant Soren for his “blameworthy conduct” of not disclosing complete facts in a plea challenging his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) even as the former Jharkhand chief minister’s counsel withdrew the plea.

    A vacation bench headed by Justice Dipankar Datta verbally observed that Soren had availed “parallel remedies” by filing two separate pleas, one challenging his arrest and another seeking bail, but did not disclose it to the top court.

    Soren also did not disclose that his regular bail already stands dismissed by the trial court, the bench observed.It disapproved of the “crafty drafting” of Soren’s petition and told senior advocate Kapil Sibal that the court expected “some candour from your client”.AllUttar PradeshMaharashtraTamil NaduWest BengalBiharKarnatakaAndhra PradeshTelanganaKeralaMadhya PradeshRajasthanDelhiOther StatesSibal said it was his own mistake and not of Soren. “It is my personal fault and not of my client,” he told the bench. “The client is in jail and we are lawyers acting for him. Our intention was never to mislead the court and we have never done it.”Speaking for the bench, Justice Datta verbally observed that it appears that “the person in custody is not acting with bona fide”.To this, Sibal responded that Soren “is not in touch with us. It is not his (Soren) fault at all”.Sibal withdrew the plea after the bench said it would dismiss the same.

    Pointing out factual dissimilarities between the case of Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal and Soren, both challenging their arrest by Enforcement Directorate (ED), the apex court on Tuesday had sought to know whether Soren’s plea would be maintainable especially after his regular bail has been rejected and the fact that a special court has taken cognisance of a prosecution complaint (equivalent of a charge sheet) filed by ED against Soren and other accused.

  • ED opposes JMM leader Hemant Soren’s interim bail plea in SC

    New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate opposed in the Supreme Court on Monday former Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren’s plea seeking interim bail in a money-laundering case linked to an alleged land scam to campaign in the Lok Sabha polls. In its affidavit filed in the top court on Soren’s plea against his arrest and for interim bail, the probe agency said the materials on record establish that the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha leader was involved in the acquisition and possession of properties in an illegal manner which are proceeds of crime. A vacation bench headed by Justice Dipankar Datta is scheduled to hear Soren’s plea against his arrest and interim bail on Tuesday. “Various Statements recorded under section 50 of PMLA, 2002, which establish that property admeasuring 8.86 acres, situated at Shanti Nagar, Near Lalu Khatal, Bariyatu is under illegal acquisition, possession and use of Hemant Soren and the same has been done in a camouflaged and concealed manner,” the agency said. Opposing the interim bail of Soren for campaigning during the ongoing Lok Sabha elections, the ED said, “It is relevant to note that the right to campaign for an election is neither a fundamental right nor a constitutional right and not even a legal right.” AllUttar PradeshMaharashtraTamil NaduWest BengalBiharKarnatakaAndhra PradeshTelanganaKeralaMadhya PradeshRajasthanDelhiOther StatesThe probe agency said that there is an active attempt on Soren’s part to subvert the investigation by misusing state machinery and project the proceeds of crime as “untainted through his stooges”. Soren was arrested on January 31 in the money-laundering case linked to the alleged land scam after he resigned as the Jharkhand chief minister. He has challenged a May 3 order of the Jharkhand High Court that dismissed his petition against his arrest by the ED. He has also sought interim bail for campaigning in the Lok Sabha polls till the court delivers its verdict on his plea against his arrest.

    On May 13, referring to the top court’s recent order in a money-laundering case involving Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Soren sought interim bail for campaigning in the election.

  • Cong’s Jairam Ramesh retorts to PM Modi’s ‘tempo loads of cash’ remark ‘Take action against Adani, Ambani’ – The Economic Times Video

    Congress Rajya Sabha MP and Communications in-charge, Jairam Ramesh launched a fresh attack on PM Modi over ‘tempo loads of cash’ remarks on May 19. Jairam Ramesh accused PM Modi of misusing ED, CBI, and IT against the opposition. Congress leader asked the PM to take action against Adani and Ambani for giving black money to the Congress. Jairam Ramesh said, “The way ED, CBI, and I-T are being misused by the Modi government, this has never happened before. PM Modi made the ED arrest Hemant Soren and Arvind Kejriwal and put them in jail. PM Modi himself says that Adani and Ambani took black money in tempo to Congress office, so why is he not initiating a probe against them?”

  • ‘Didn’t even know where he was’: Kalpana Soren details harrowing experience of Hemant Soren’s arrest – The Economic Times Video

    Kalpana Soren was thrust into the limelight after ED arrested the erstwhile Jharkhand CM in an alleged land scam case. Whispers of a CM-seat takeover by Soren family are doing rounds after Kalpana Soren filled nominations for assembly by-polls. Hemant Soren’s wife Kalpana Soren has filled her nomination as the JMM candidate from Gandey in Jharkhand’s Giridih. In an exclusive interview with The Economic Times, Kalpana Soren talks about Hemant Soren’s arrest, Jharkhand, and her entry into electoral politics. Watch!

  • Rs 31-Crore Land Fraud Case Against Hemant Soren Has TV, Fridge Bills As Evidence By ED |

    Jailed former Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren’s trouble in the land fraud case is mounting with each passing day. Days before, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) had claimed that Soren took the assistance of a revenue official and custodian of original government records, namely Bhanu Pratap Prasad, in his alleged ‘activities linked to illegal occupation, acquisition or possession of proceeds of crime in form of landed properties’. Soren has been accused of illegally acquiring 8.86 acres of land valued at over Rs 31 crore.  Now, the ED has submitted bills for a refrigerator and a smart TV among other key evidence against Soren. 

    Accusations have arisen regarding Soren’s alleged involvement in the procurement of a refrigerator and a smart TV under the names of Santosh Munda’s family members. Munda claims to have served as a caretaker for Soren’s property situated on disputed land for numerous years, despite Soren’s denial of any affiliation with the land. 

    The Enforcement Directorate (ED) emphasized the acquisition of household appliances under the names of Munda’s family members as evidence of their residency on the disputed property, contradicting Pahan’s ownership claims. The agency alleged that Pahan was colluding with Soren to conceal the unlawful proceeds and obstruct the investigation.

    Additionally, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has disregarded Rajkumar Pahan’s assertion of ownership over the land, alleging that he acted as a proxy for Soren to retain control over the asset. The ED disclosed that Pahan attempted to gain possession of the land shortly before Soren’s arrest, prompting the state government to transfer ownership back to him. Originally designated as ‘Bhuinhari’ property, the land was purportedly acquired unlawfully by Soren in 2010-11, despite its traditional ownership by the ‘Mundas’ and ‘Pahans’.

    According to Santosh Munda’s testimony, both Soren and his wife visited the property several times, and Munda himself was involved in construction activities there. These details were documented in bills that were deemed crucial evidence in the charge sheet, listed under the ‘relied upon documents’ section. The prosecution under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) was sought against Soren and his co-accused based on this evidence. The 191-page charge sheet identified Soren, Rajkumar Pahan, Hilariyas Kachhap, Bhanu Pratap Prasad, and Binod Singh as the accused parties. On March 30, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) seized the disputed land.

    The ED had initiated a money laundering investigation in cases of land scams based on multiple First Information Reports (FIRs) registered by Jharkhand Police against several persons including government officials. The ED had earlier carried out 51 searches and nine surveys in such cases and incriminating evidence like forged seals of Land Revenue Department, forged land deeds, records of distribution of Proceeds of Crime, photographs of doing forgery and evidence of giving bribes to Government officials were seized. Searches have resulted in the recovery and seizure of Rs 1.25 crore of cash and further freezing of Rs 3.56 crore of bank account balances.

  • Soren undertook ‘blatant’ misuse of power: ED tells PMLA court

    Ranchi, The ED on Wednesday produced WhatsApp chat records between former Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren and a close associate where information related to transfer and posting of state government officials involving “huge amount of money” is alleged to have been discussed. The Enforcement Directorate made the submission before a special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court in Ranchi while producing the 48-year-old JMM leader on the expiry of his five-day remand.

    After the ED informed the court of Special Judge Dinesh Rai that its investigation against Soren was “not restricted” to alleged fraudulent acquisition of a 8.5 acres land in Ranchi by him, but there are “several other properties linked to him (Soren)”, the court extended his custody by five days.

    Soren was arrested by the ED on January 31 from the Raj Bhavan after about seven hours of his questioning at his official residence at Kanke Road here. He resigned as the CM before the agency took him under custody. The ED told the court that during the time Soren was in its custody, “details of several other properties have also emerged, to which the accused person Shri Hemant Soren is neither divulging true information in his knowledge nor showing cooperation”.

    The federal agency said it was also undertaking raids in this case on Wednesday and it wanted to confront Soren with Bhanu Pratap Prasad, a revenue department sub- inspector, whom it has arrested in this case for allegedly conspiring with the former CM for allegedly acquiring 12 plots of land measuring about 8.5 acres.

    It informed the court that Soren was confronted with WhatsApp chats between him and his close associate Binod Singh which it claimed were “highly incriminating and contain details of several properties and had several confidential documents”. These chats “not only include exchange of confidential information regarding several properties but other incriminating information relating to transfer and posting, sharing of government records, etc., out of which huge amount of money appears to have been generated and transacted”. The agency claimed that Binod Singh also had WhatsApp chats with several other persons regarding transfer and posting of officials and sharing of several admit cards of students appearing for competitive exams held by the Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission.

    While appending some pictures of the WhatsApp exchanges between Soren and Binod Singh, the ED said these were only “a few samples” and such conversations run in over 530 pages.

    The ED said it requested the politician to produce the mobile phone on which he had conversations with Binod Singh but he “deliberately” did not furnish the device to “conceal facts and stall investigation relating to suspected proceeds of crime”.

    “The proceeds of crime acquired by him is not only restricted to the investigation of the property measuring 8.5 acres but there are several other properties linked to him (Soren) and investigation to identify the said proceeds of crime and its trail of money is essentially required at this stage,” the agency said.

    The ED, seeking further remand of Soren, told the court that Soren undertook “blatant misuse of power in hampering and frustrating the evidences” linked to the 8.5 acre measuring immovable asset.

    The agency said it issued the first summons to Soren for questioning on August 8, 2023 and called him for recording of his statement six days later on August 14.

    It claimed that a man identified as Raj Kumar Pahan filed a petition before the circle officer of Baragai in Ranchi on August 16 saying some people have got illegal ‘jamabandi’ (documents of legal rights) of his land and requested the authorities to save his land.

    The land was resorted to Pahan on January 29 this year even as the agency said it was conducting raids in this case in Delhi that day, the ED said.

    It was alleged by the agency before the court that it seized documents related to this 8.5 acre land from the cupboard of Soren’s room that is located in a Delhi house.

    The agency also said that when it conducted the survey of this land in April last year, it met a ‘chowkidar’ (caretaker) posted at the property named Santosh Munda who told its officials that Soren and his wife Kalpana visited the property “two-three times”.

    It is evident, the ED said, Soren “acquired proceeds of crime and also indulged in corrupt practice and misuse of position for destruction of evidence in order to conceal the proceeds of crime acquired by him to keep himself away from the property measuring 8.5 acres”.

    The agency also told the court that as Soren was taken to the Jharkhand assembly on February 5 and therefore a “substantial time passed out in arrangements and bringing him back to its office for investigation”.

    The ED sought Soren’s enhanced custody to “ascertain the source of funds” through which the said land was acquired and to confront him and other accused.

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  • Jharkhand floor test: CM Champai Soren-led govt wins trust vote with 47 MLAs support – The Economic Times Video

    The Champai Soren-led government won a vote of confidence in 81-member Jharkhand Assembly on Monday, the first day of the two-day assembly session. The new chief minister was supported by 47 MLAs. A total of 29 MLAs were in opposition. The MLAs of the ruling JMM-led alliance had exuded confidence of winning the floor test, contrary to the opposition BJP’s belief that the coalition would be defeated.

  • Champai Soren Takes Oath As New Jharkhand CM, Alamgir Alam, Bhokta Sworn In As Ministers

    Champai Soren became the 12th Chief Minister of Jharkhand. 

  • Champai Soren To Take Oath As Jharkhand CM Today, Floor Test In 10 Days |

    New Delhi: In significant development amid the political turmoil in Jharkhand, Champai Soren, a prominent figure in the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha party, is scheduled to be sworn in as the Chief Minister of Jharkhand today.

    On Thursday, Jharkhand Governor CP Radhakrishnan extended an invitation to Champai Soren to Raj Bhavan to establish the government in the state. Champai Soren, a supporter of JMM leader Hemant Soren, has been entrusted with the responsibility to prove his majority in a floor test, scheduled to take place within the next 10 days.

    On Thursday, Champai Soren, along with 43 legislators, met Jharkhand Governor CP Radhakrishnan at Raj Bhavan, staking a claim to form the government in the state.

    Amidst escalating political tension in the state on Thursday evening, Congress leaders seized the opportunity to condemn the BJP, accusing it of “crushing the mandate in every state.”

    “Immediately after the resignation of the coalition government in Bihar, the Governor had sent an invitation to form a new government. But the invitation to form a government was not sent even a day after staking claim in Jharkhand,” Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said in a post on X.

    “First, the Chief Minister was forced to resign by imposing ED. He was arrested. Now there are reports that efforts are being made to buy the MLAs by stopping the formation of the new government. First Bihar, then Chandigarh and now Jharkhand – BJP is crushing the mandate in every state by influencing through money,” she added.

    Congress leader, Mallikarjun Kharge expressed disapproval of the Jharkhand Governor’s delay in extending an invitation to Champai Soren, the leader of the JMM legislature party, to establish the government in the state.

    “In the House of 81 MLAs, only 41 are majority. Despite having the support of 48 MLAs, not inviting Champai Soren ji to form the government is clearly a disrespect to the Constitution and denial of public opinion,” Kharge said in a post on X.
    Meanwhile, JMM leader and former chief minister Hemant Soren was sent to one-day judicial custody by a special PMLA court in Ranchi in connection with an alleged land scam case.

    Soren was arrested on Wednesday night by the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) after six hours of questioning in the money laundering case linked to the alleged land scam.

  • Jharkhand political unrest: Champai Soren to take oath as CM today, floor test in 10 days – The Economic Times Video

    In a significant turn of events, amidst the political unrest in Jharkhand, Champai Soren, a leader of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha party, is set to take oath as the Chief Minister of Jharkhand today. On Thursday, Jharkahnd Governor CP Radhakrishnan invited Champai Soren to Raj Bhavan to form the government in the state. Champai Soren, a loyalist of JMM leader Hemant Soren has been mandated to demonstrate his majority in a floor test, which will be held within the next 10 days.