News Analysis India

Tag: Land scam

  • 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.

  • ED summons Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren in alleged land scam case

    Express News Service

    RANCHI: The Enforcement Directorate on Tuesday sent summon to Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren in an alleged land scam. According to the ED sources, Soren has been asked to appear for questioning at its zonal office in Ranchi on August 14.

    In November 2022, Soren was grilled by ED for about 10 hours in connection with an illegal mining case.

    The federal agency has been probing two major cases of money laundering in the state. The first case is related to illegal mining in the state and the second is related to alleged land scams in the state capital.

    At least 13 persons, including Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer Chhavi Ranjan and two businessmen- Amit Agrawal of Kolkata and Bishnu Agrawal-, who owns shopping malls in Ranchi, have already been arrested in connection with the land scam.

    Bishnu Agrawal has been arrested based on the FIR registered with Sadar police station for the fraudulent sale of a one-acre plot in upscale Cheshire Home Road in Ranchi. Besides the Cheshire Home Road property and 9.3-acre plot at Namkum, Agrawal, in connivance with DC Chhavi Ranjan and others, also bought a 5.83-acre plot at Bariatu in Ranchi, which is in possession of the Indian Defence establishment since 1949.

    Investigation revealed that a racket of land mafia is active in Jharkhand which used to forge the legacy records in Kolkata and Ranchi.

    Earlier, ED carried out 41 searches and 5 surveys in this matter during which, several incriminating pieces of evidence like forged seals of the land revenue department, forged land deeds, records of distribution of proceeds of crime among them, photographs doing forgery, evidence of giving bribe to Government officials etc, were seized.

    Meanwhile, state BJP Chief Babulal Marandi has termed Soren as the most corrupt Chief Minister in independent India, who has been summoned twice by the ED.

    RANCHI: The Enforcement Directorate on Tuesday sent summon to Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren in an alleged land scam. According to the ED sources, Soren has been asked to appear for questioning at its zonal office in Ranchi on August 14.

    In November 2022, Soren was grilled by ED for about 10 hours in connection with an illegal mining case.

    The federal agency has been probing two major cases of money laundering in the state. The first case is related to illegal mining in the state and the second is related to alleged land scams in the state capital.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    At least 13 persons, including Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer Chhavi Ranjan and two businessmen- Amit Agrawal of Kolkata and Bishnu Agrawal-, who owns shopping malls in Ranchi, have already been arrested in connection with the land scam.

    Bishnu Agrawal has been arrested based on the FIR registered with Sadar police station for the fraudulent sale of a one-acre plot in upscale Cheshire Home Road in Ranchi. Besides the Cheshire Home Road property and 9.3-acre plot at Namkum, Agrawal, in connivance with DC Chhavi Ranjan and others, also bought a 5.83-acre plot at Bariatu in Ranchi, which is in possession of the Indian Defence establishment since 1949.

    Investigation revealed that a racket of land mafia is active in Jharkhand which used to forge the legacy records in Kolkata and Ranchi.

    Earlier, ED carried out 41 searches and 5 surveys in this matter during which, several incriminating pieces of evidence like forged seals of the land revenue department, forged land deeds, records of distribution of proceeds of crime among them, photographs doing forgery, evidence of giving bribe to Government officials etc, were seized.

    Meanwhile, state BJP Chief Babulal Marandi has termed Soren as the most corrupt Chief Minister in independent India, who has been summoned twice by the ED.

  • Jharkhand land scam: ED arrests IAS officer Chhavi Ranjan

    Express News Service

    RANCHI: After 10 hours of questioning, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) sleuths arrested IAS officer Chhavi Ranjan on Thursday under various sections of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) for allegedly colluding with land mafias to grab private and government lands in Ranchi. 

    Ranjan was summoned for the second time on Thursday for questioning after he was allowed to go home on April 24 after 10 hours of questioning. Ranjan is the eighth accused in the land scam. The ED had already arrested seven persons, including a circle inspector and land brokers.

    The role of Ranjan in transferring prime lands had come to the fore earlier in a report submitted by the then Divisional Commissioner NM Kulkarni to the state government. The revenue department, however, is said to have turned a blind eye to all these reports.

    Ranjan was Deputy Commissioner of Ranchi from July 15, 2020, to July 11, 2022.

    A 2011 batch IAS officer, Chhavi Ranjan is currently posted at the State Department of Social Welfare.

    On April 13, the Enforcement Directorate sleuths had conducted raids in 21 locations linked to Chhavi Ranjan spread across Jharkhand, Bihar and West Bengal. The ED sleuths allegedly unearthed incriminating documents relating to the land scam by a group having expertise in preparing fake documents, falsifying and forging original documents in Ranchi.

    It was during his period when stone mining lease was granted to Chief Minister Hemant Soren for mining at Angara on the outskirts of Ranchi.

    RANCHI: After 10 hours of questioning, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) sleuths arrested IAS officer Chhavi Ranjan on Thursday under various sections of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) for allegedly colluding with land mafias to grab private and government lands in Ranchi. 

    Ranjan was summoned for the second time on Thursday for questioning after he was allowed to go home on April 24 after 10 hours of questioning. Ranjan is the eighth accused in the land scam. The ED had already arrested seven persons, including a circle inspector and land brokers.

    The role of Ranjan in transferring prime lands had come to the fore earlier in a report submitted by the then Divisional Commissioner NM Kulkarni to the state government. The revenue department, however, is said to have turned a blind eye to all these reports.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    Ranjan was Deputy Commissioner of Ranchi from July 15, 2020, to July 11, 2022.

    A 2011 batch IAS officer, Chhavi Ranjan is currently posted at the State Department of Social Welfare.

    On April 13, the Enforcement Directorate sleuths had conducted raids in 21 locations linked to Chhavi Ranjan spread across Jharkhand, Bihar and West Bengal. The ED sleuths allegedly unearthed incriminating documents relating to the land scam by a group having expertise in preparing fake documents, falsifying and forging original documents in Ranchi.

    It was during his period when stone mining lease was granted to Chief Minister Hemant Soren for mining at Angara on the outskirts of Ranchi.