In connection with an unauthorized transfer of land ownership in Jharkhand, Soren was taken into custody. 14 people have been taken into custody in this case thus far.
Three terms of President’s rule and six chief ministers have been appointed to Jharkhand since the state’s creation on November 15, 2000. Only one chief minister (CM), BJP’s Raghubar Das, has served out his entire term (2014 to 2019).
What are the allegations against Hemant Soren, ex-chief minister of Jharkhand who is arrested by ED?
Overview of Land Scams:
- On June 12, 2023, the ED filed a charge sheet regarding an alleged land scam involving multiple parties.
- Chhavi Ranjan, an IAS officer who was arrested, eight other people, and three businesses connected to Amit Agarwal are among the accused.
Properties Involved:
- The prime land parcels at the center of the scam are a 7.6-acre land in Hehal, Ranchi, and a 4.55-acre defense land in Morabadi Mouza.
- In the current market, these lands are worth over ₹74 crore in total.
Accused People and Businesses:
- Important players include Amit Agarwal, Bhanu Pratap Prasad, Imtiaz Ahmad, Talha Khan, Faiyaz Ahmed, Afshar Ali, Mohammad Saddam Hussain, Chhavi Ranjan, Dilip Kumar Ghosh, Pradip Bagchi, and Amit Agarwal.
- Agarwal’s associates include Aurora Studio Pvt Ltd, Rajesh Auto Merchandise Pvt Ltd, and Jagatbandhu Tea Estates Pvt Ltd.
Operational Model:
- The accused fabricated original land records at Circle Offices and Registrar of Assurances in Kolkata and Jharkhand, as well as faked deeds using identities they had created.
- They obtained certified copies, created fake back-dated deeds from Kolkata, planted them in original registers, and sold off properties.
Count of Properties Affected:
- Documents pertaining to at least 27 properties with fictitious deeds made by the accused have been found by ED.
Modifications to the Registration Procedure:
- In the past, Kolkata handled the registration of land properties for Bihar (when Jharkhand was a part of it). Registration at the relevant jurisdictional land registration offices became required after 1991.
Particulars of the Property:
- Using forged paperwork, the 4.55-acre Ranchi property—originally designated as defense land—was sold.
- Afshar Ali and his accomplices fabricated a fictitious deed that purportedly belonged to someone else.
Involvement of Political Parties:
- Politically connected Prem Prakash was allegedly involved in the illegal land acquisition and was also charged in a separate investigation concerning illegal mining.
- Officials were persuaded by Chhavi Ranjan to obtain a report that was favorable to Pradeep Bagchi.
Aspects of Finance:
- The 4.55-acre plot of land was purchased by Amit Agarwal’s company in 2022 for a mere ₹25 lakh, despite its true worth being estimated at ₹41 crore.
- Although only ₹25 lakh was received, Afshar Ali acknowledged selling the land to Jagatbandhu Tea Estates for ₹7 crore.
Several Parties Pursuing the Same Assets:
- Jayant Karnad made false claims to the same property, which he then sold to 14 people for ₹2.55 crore.
Extra Real Estate Deal:
- Fake deeds were prepared in the Hehal property case, and the land was sold for consideration of ₹15 crore.
Who is the next CM of Jharkhand?
Jharkhand: In a money laundering case, the Enforcement Department (ED) detained Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Wednesday, January 31. Prior to this, Hemant Soren went to Raj Bhavan and gave the Governor his resignation as Chief Minister. However, Champai Soren, the minister of transportation, was chosen to lead the legislative party in the government and will take over as Jharkhand’s chief minister going forward.
Currently serving as the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha Party’s MLA for the Seraikela Assembly seat is Champai Soren. He is a resident of the Seraikela-Kharsawan district’s Jillingagoda village.