Ex-Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren Sent to Judicial Custody for One Day

Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) leader and former Chief Minister Hemant Soren were sent to one-day judicial custody by a special PMLA court in Ranchi on Thursday in connection with the Enforcement Directorate's probe into an alleged land scam, PTI reported. The Enforcement Directorate had sought a 10-day remand for the former Jharkhand Chief Minister, but the order has been reserved. The court has scheduled the next hearing in the case for tomorrow.

Justice Dinesh Rai, the Special Judge of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court, reserved the order after hearing both sides. Soren was arrested by the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) on Wednesday night after six hours of questioning in the money laundering case linked to the alleged land scam.

According to the ED, CM Soren was questioned as part of the probe into the "huge racket of illegal change of ownership of land by the mafia." The probe focuses on substantial proceeds of crime generated by forging official records, showing "fake sellers" and purchasers through forged or bogus documents to acquire extensive land parcels valued in crores.