A special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court in Ranchi on Wednesday framed charges against Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren in connection with the alleged illegal acquisition of 8.86 acres of land in the state capital, clearing the way for his trial in the money laundering case. Soren, who appeared before the court through video conferencing, denied the allegations and maintained that he was innocent.
The court framed charges under Section 3 of the PMLA, punishable under Section 4 of the Act. Soren's lawyer, Sanjeev Sahay, confirmed the development and said the court would now proceed with the examination of prosecution witnesses. The trial has been scheduled to begin on November 30.
Soren denies allegations before court
During Wednesday's proceedings, the court read out the allegations against Soren, who rejected them as baseless. The Chief Minister maintained that he had committed no offence and denied involvement in the alleged fraudulent acquisition of the property.
The case concerns 8.86 acres of land in Ranchi's Bargain area, which the Enforcement Directorate (ED) alleges was illegally acquired through the manipulation of revenue records. The agency has claimed that forged documents and the involvement of government officials facilitated the alleged transactions.
ED alleges fraudulent acquisition of land
According to the ED, the alleged irregularities involved the unlawful acquisition and possession of the land, with forged revenue records used to establish ownership. The agency has accused Soren of involvement in the transactions and alleged that several individuals, including government officials, assisted in the operation.
The money laundering investigation originated from cases registered by Jharkhand Police over alleged land-related irregularities. In April 2024, the ED filed a prosecution complaint against Soren and four others, including former revenue official Bhanu Pratap Prasad, and stated that the property, valued at approximately Rs 31 crore, had been provisionally attached.
High Court proceedings continue
Soren was arrested by the ED on January 31, 2024, in connection with the case and was subsequently granted bail by the Jharkhand High Court on June 28 that year. While granting bail, the High Court had observed that there was reason to believe he was not guilty of the alleged offence and was unlikely to commit an offence while on bail.
The latest development followed several rounds of litigation over the framing of charges. The special PMLA court rejected Soren's discharge petition on June 8, while the High Court subsequently declined to halt the proceedings. The charge-framing hearing scheduled for September 24 was deferred after Soren's lawyers sought additional time to examine documents supplied by the ED.
On Wednesday, the Jharkhand High Court also heard Soren's petition challenging the continuation of proceedings before the special PMLA court. The division bench directed the ED to submit a supplementary affidavit and listed the matter for further hearing in late October. The High Court has not stayed the trial proceedings.
Trial to begin on November 30
Charges had already been framed against the other 16 accused in the case, making Soren the last accused to undergo the charge-framing process. With Wednesday's order, the trial can proceed to the examination of prosecution witnesses and evidence.
The framing of charges marks the beginning of the trial and does not establish guilt. Soren has denied the allegations, and the prosecution will have to establish its case before the special court.