JNS I Ranchi: Former Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren has been denied permission to attend the upcoming Jharkhand Assembly session, scheduled to commence on February 23. Soren had filed an application in the PMLA court seeking permission to attend the budget session, but his petition was rejected.
Soren’s advocate had submitted a letter to the court requesting permission for his client to attend the session, citing its importance. However, the court extended the period of judicial custody for both Soren and another individual till March 7.
This is not the first time Soren has sought permission to attend an assembly session while in custody. Previously, he was allowed to participate in a special session of the Jharkhand Assembly after obtaining permission from the PMLA court. Soren had participated in the trust vote of Chief Minister Champai Soren during that session.
Hemant Soren is currently in judicial custody at Birsa Munda Central Jail in connection with a land buying and selling fraud case. He was arrested in connection with an 8.5-acre land scam case in the Badgai block.”
Hemant Soren was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on January 31 in connection with allegedly illegally acquiring and holding an 8.5-acre plot of land in Ranchi. The agency presented WhatsApp conversations between Soren and businessman/architect Binod Singh as evidence.
Sources within the ED revealed that they presented 201 pages of WhatsApp chats between Soren and Singh, discussing the acquisition of the land near DAV School in Bariatu, suspected to have been obtained illegally.
Earlier, the ED had presented a 539-page WhatsApp chat between Soren and Singh, containing details on multiple properties and other incriminating information. The agency alleged that Soren misused his authority to obstruct evidence related to the illegal land acquisition.
The investigation into the case continues as authorities delve deeper into the alleged malpractices surrounding the acquisition of the land near DAV School in Bariatu.”
