The agency presented these receipts, obtained from dealers in Ranchi, in a recent chargesheet filed against the 48-year-old Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) leader and four others.The special PMLA court in Ranchi acknowledged the prosecution’s complaint on April 4, following Soren’s arrest by the ED on January 31 in connection with a money laundering investigation related to the alleged land grab.
Currently in judicial custody at Birsa Munda jail in Ranchi, Soren faces allegations that the refrigerator and smart TV were purchased in the name of family members of Santosh Munda, who claimed to have served as a caretaker for Soren’s property on the disputed land for several years.
This assertion contradicts Soren’s denial of any association with the land.
The ED also dismissed Rajkumar Pahan’s claim on the land, accusing him of acting as a proxy for Soren to maintain control over the asset.
The agency revealed that Pahan sought to secure possession of the land just days before Soren’s arrest, prompting the state government to transfer ownership back to him. Originally categorised as ‘Bhuinhari’ property, the land was allegedly unlawfully acquired by Soren in 2010-11, despite its traditional ownership by the ‘Mundas’ and ‘Pahans’. Testimony from Santosh Munda indicated that both Soren and his wife visited the property on multiple occasions, with Munda himself participating in construction activities there.
The ED highlighted the purchase of household appliances in Munda’s family members’ names as proof of their residency on the disputed property, refuting Pahan’s claims of ownership. The agency asserted that Pahan was collaborating with Soren to conceal the illicit proceeds and thwart the investigation. These bills were included in the charge sheet as crucial evidence under the ‘relied upon documents’ section, seeking the prosecution of Soren and his co-accused under the PMLA.
The 191-page charge sheet named Soren, Rajkumar Pahan, Hilariyas Kachhap, Bhanu Pratap Prasad, and Binod Singh as accused parties, with the ED attaching the contested land on March 30. Valued at over Rs 31.07 crore, the property consists of 12 adjoining plots enclosed within a cemented wall. The ED stumbled upon this case while investigating another money laundering instance involving the fraudulent acquisition of a 4.55-acre land owned by the defense ministry in Morabadi, Ranchi.
According to the ED, a group of private individuals colluded with government officials, including the former DC Ranchi and a sub-inspector from the Jharkhand revenue department, in a syndicate engaged in fraudulent land grabs. Their activities encompassed illicit property acquisitions through falsified documents and tampered records, facilitating the unlawful acquisition of landed assets.
(With inputs from agencies)
