NEW DELHI, Apr 10
Apart from former Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren, two people who live near the 8.86 acres of land in Ranchi that has been at the centre of a money laundering case against him, and had given statements in his defence, have been named as accused in the Enforcement Directorate’s prosecution complaint.
While the ED alleges that Soren illegally obtained the parcel of land through his associates as part of a land grabbing syndicate, Raj Kumar Pahan, who lives in the Bariatu area of Ranchi, rejected the claim saying he was among the descendents of the original owners of the plot and that it had not been sold to anyone. Pahan is also among those named in the ED prosecution complaint, along with one Hilariyus Kacchap, who has said he was engaged in farming in the plot of land after taking it on lease from Pahan. The Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court in Ranchi took cognizance of the prosecution complaint – the first one filed by the ED in this case – on April 4.
The ED case emanates from an investigation into alleged illegalities in the buying and selling of defence land involving one revenue inspector, Bhanu Pratap Prasad. The ED said one of the land records seized in connection with the investigation had references to several properties, including the 8.86 acres in the Bariatu area of Ranchi that the agency claimed was “illegally acquired and possessed” by Soren. Soren, who was arrested in the case on January 31 soon after he resigned as CM, has denied owning the land. During a trust vote in the Assembly held days after his arrest, he had said he would leave Jharkhand if any records were found linking him to the land.
The ED’s prosecution complaint names five people as accused – Hemant Soren, Bhanu Pratap Prasad, Raj Kumar Pahan, Hilariyus Kacchap, and one Binod Singh, from whose phone, the ED said, an image was found of plans for a proposed banquet hall that Soren was allegedly planning to build on the land.
“Hemant Soren has indulged in the process connected with acquisition, possession, use and concealment of proceeds of crime as well as projecting and claiming the tainted property as untainted through co-accused persons – namely Binod Kumar Singh, Bhanu Pratap Prasad, Rajkumar Pahan and Hilariyas Kachhap,” the ED said in its complaint.
The ED also alleged that Pahan manipulated witnesses by “directing them to give false statements before the Directorate of Enforcement in regard to the property acquired and possessed by Hemant Soren so as to assist him in concealment of proceeds of crime”. The agency said Pahan “directly assisted” Soren by filing a case in the revenue court with the intention of making it seem like Soren was not in possession of the said property. Kacchap, the ED alleged, was in direct contact with Pahan and also assisted Soren in the continued possession and use of the land.
“He (also) gave false statements (regarding ownership of the land),” the ED said.
