Special court extends ED remand of Hemant Soren for five more days

Hemant Soren was arrested on January 31 after a seven-hour grilling by the Enforcement Directorate in the money-laundering case

Former Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren greets supporters while being produced before PMLA (Prevention of Money Laundering Act) Court by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials after his arrest in a money laundering case, in Ranchi, on February 7, 2024. | Photo Credit: PTI

A special PMLA (Prevention of Money Laundering Act) court on Wednesday extended the Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) remand of former Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren in alleged land scam case for five more days.

The ED on Wednesday produced Mr. Soren before the court and sought seven days’ remand. However, special court judge Dinesh Rai granted only five days’ remand after hearing the arguments from both sides.

The ED had arrested Mr. Soren on January 31, 2024 after questioning him for over seven hours. Mr. Soren then went to the Raj Bhavan and resigned from the State’s top post.

On Tuesday, the ED questioned Mr. Soren for nearly 15 hours in the case related to forging land documents of 8.5 acres in the Badgai area of Ranchi.

Sources said that based on information received during the questioning, the ED on Tuesday summoned Mr. Soren’s close associate and architect Vinod Singh for questioning. Mr. Singh was questioned for nearly five hours at the agency office.

Former revenue sub-inspector of Badgai circle Bhanu Pratap Prasad is already in ED custody. Sources in the ED revealed that the agency is now mulling to question Mr. Soren and Mr. Prasad both separately and together to match the facts related to land scam.

Wife’s message

Meanwhile, Mr. Soren’s wife Kalpana Soren used her husband’s X account to post a message on the completion of 18 years of married life. She met her husband at the ED’s office.

“Hemant ji did not accept to bow down to protect the existence and identity of Jharkhand. He thought better to fight the conspiracy and dedicate himself to defeating it. Today is our 18th wedding anniversary, but Hemant ji is not among the family and not with the children. I believe that he will defeat this conspiracy and become the winner and join us all soon,” Ms. Soren said in the post.

“Like Hemant ji, I will smile with him even in difficult situations and show him the power of struggle,” Ms. Soren added in the post. She posted an old picture along with this message.