On Wednesday, official sources reported that the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has arrested four individuals anew in connection with the alleged illegal land grab-linked money laundering case involving former Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren and others.

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Authorities have identified the individuals taken into custody under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) as Antu Tirkey, Priya Ranjan Sahay, Bipin Singh, and Irshad. Reports indicate that the ED conducted searches at the premises of Tirkey and others on Tuesday.

The recent arrests bring the total number of individuals detained in this case to eight.

When Did ED Arrest Hemant Soren?

The ED arrested Soren, aged 48, in January shortly after his resignation as the chief minister. Currently, he is in judicial custody at Birsa Munda jail in Hotwar. Authorities have apprehended former revenue department sub-inspector Bhanu Pratap Prasad, Mohammed Saddam Hussian, and Afshar Ali, who are the prime accused in the case.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) alleges that Hemant Soren unlawfully acquired an 8.86-acre plot of land in Ranchi, forming the focal point of the investigation against him.

On March 30, the agency filed a charge sheet against Soren, Prasad, and Soren’s alleged “frontmen” Raj Kumar Pahan and Hilariyas Kachhap, along with Binod Singh, an alleged associate of the former CM, before a special PMLA court.

The ED has attached the Ranchi land and has requested the court to confiscate the plot.

The investigation into money laundering arises from multiple FIRs that the Jharkhand Police registered in land “scam” cases involving several individuals, including state government officials.

The prime accused in the case is Prasad, who held the position of custodian of government records. The ED stated in a release that he “misused” his official position to aid various individuals, including Soren, in activities related to illegal occupation, acquisition, and possession of proceeds of crime through landed properties.

The ED claimed, “A racket of land mafia is active in Jharkhand which used to forge the land records in Ranchi.”

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