New Delhi: Former Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren, also the executive president of the ruling Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), faced remand to judicial custody on Thursday in connection with a money laundering case related to an alleged land scam. The special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court remanded Soren to judicial custody until February 22. Following the court proceedings, Soren was transferred to Birsa Munda Central Jail in Ranchi.Legal representation and bail applicationAdvocate General Rajeev Ranjan, representing Soren, stated, Hemant Soren was produced before the special PMLA court today and he was remanded to judicial custody till February 22. We will file a bail application for him.Arrest and previous custodySoren was apprehended by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on January 31 from the Raj Bhavan, where he had gone to tender his resignation as the Jharkhand chief minister. Initially, the special court granted the ED five days of custody, later extending it twice, totaling seven days in ED custody.EDs claims and investigation detailsDuring previous court hearings, the ED emphasized that the scope of the investigation extended beyond an 8.5-acre property linked to Soren. The agency highlighted the need to identify additional proceeds of crime and trace money trails associated with the former chief minister. The ED also presented WhatsApp chat records between Soren and a close associate, alleging exchanges of confidential information related to properties and other incriminating details.Allegations of illegal possession and land mafia linksThe ED contends that Soren unlawfully possesses immovable assets in Jharkhand and maintains ties with members of the land mafia involved in illegal land ownership changes within the state. These allegations underscore the gravity of the case and the complexities surrounding the investigation.Legal challenges and High Court interventionSorens arrest prompted a legal challenge, with him filing a plea in the Jharkhand High Court contesting the EDs actions. Previously, the Supreme Court declined to entertain Sorens plea against his arrest, directing him to seek recourse through the High Court.The developments surrounding Hemant Sorens legal battles and the allegations against him underscore the significance of the case, with implications for Jharkhands political landscape and the pursuit of justice in matters of financial impropriety.
