Ranchi: A Special (PMLA) court on Thursday ordered the judicial custody of former Chief Minister Hemant Soren until February 22 in connection with the Ranchi land scam. This decision comes after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) produced him in court following the conclusion of his 13-day remand today.
Advocate General Rajiv Ranjan, representing Soren, announced plans to file a bail petition on his behalf. As per the court’s directive, Soren, now an accused in the case, has been transferred to Birsa Munda Central Jail in Ranchi.
However, due to security considerations, there is a possibility that he may be lodged inside the Jharkhand Civil Services Officers Institute (JCSOI), also known as the IAS club, in Ranchi.
It is noteworthy that the state government has designated the IAS Club at Deendayal Nagar as a camp jail for Soren’s accommodation during the proceedings.
The ED’s arrest of Soren on January 31 was related to allegations of illegally acquiring and holding an 8.5-acre plot of land in Ranchi. The agency had presented WhatsApp conversations between Soren and Binod Singh, a businessman and architect, as evidence.
Following the ED’s decision not to present any further evidence and its request for additional remand, the court opted to place Soren in judicial custody instead. The case continues to unfold as judicial proceedings progress.
