Hemant Soren, 12th Pass and chief of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha party, has long been a well-established and influential leader in Indian politics. However, his image was tarnished following allegations of corruption, which led to his recent arrest at 09:30 PM on January 31, 2024, after 8 hours of questioning by the ED Team. He had ignored ten summonses from the ED team. He is the third Chief Minister of Jharkhand to be arrested after his father, Shibu Soren, and Madhu Koda.
He was arrested for his purported involvement in an extensive land scam in Jharkhand, where he is alleged to be the key beneficiary of illicitly obtained land through fraud. Proceeds of crime linked to suspicious financial transactions and control of immovable assets directly and indirectly by family members; other than the land scam, linkages were established with illegal mining.
What’s the land scam in Jharkhand that led to the Jharkhand CM’s arrest?
- The approximately 4.5-acre plot originally belonged to B.M. Laxman Rao, who had handed it over to the Indian Army after Independence.
- Pradip Bagchi allegedly used forged papers with the help of a nexus of land mafia, intermediaries, and government officials to become the fraudulent owner of the land.
- The army land was sold to Jagatbandhu Tea Estate Private Limited, West Bengal.
- Investigators revealed that the sale agreement was fabricated, indicating a transaction of Rs 7 crore compared to the circle rate of Rs 20.75 crore. D
- Dilip Sharma, a tax collector in the Ranchi Municipal Corporation, had filed a police complaint last year, which was shifted to ED later.
- During the investigation, it was found that Bagchi received Rs 25 lakh directly, while the remainder of the sum was allegedly “paid” through fraudulent check transactions.
- Numerous land deals were noted where document forgery and illegal land transfers were completed. The modus operandi involved manufacturing back-dated deeds, falsifying records, and using fake stamps and seals to create the appearance of legitimate transactions.
- Hemant Soren was under scrutiny for allegations of money laundering, which allegedly involved the fabrication of documents to create fake deeds—legal documents that transfer ownership of land or real estate from one party to another.
- ED has already arrested 14 people concerning the “Land scam.”
High-end Drama on January 31, 2024, at Jharkhand CM Residence
- High-end drama has been going on since the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on January 29 visited his Delhi residence, but he went missing.
- He embarked on a secretive journey by road back to his residence in Ranchi.
- During a search of the Delhi premises, the agency discovered Rs 36 lakh in cash, which was confiscated along with his luxury SUV.
- The speculation was that Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal helped him escape from Delhi to Ranchi.
- Later, the Jharkhand CM agreed to meet the ED officials at his Rhanchi residence on January 31, 2024.
- Sec. 144: Imposed Around CM Residence, Raj Bhavan at Rhanchi
- He was questioned for 8 hours before the arrest was announced.
- In the meantime, Hemant Soren filed a case against the Probe Agency under the SC/ST Act.
- The complaint pertains to the agency’s search operation at Mr. Soren’s residence in New Delhi on Monday and claims that the action harassed and accused him and his entire community.
- After the arrest, CM went to the governor with the ED team to submit his resignation.
- Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) Minister Mahua Maji confirmed that Soren is in ED custody.
- According to sources, Hemant Soren is expected to produce Soren before a special PMLA court in Ranchi on Thursday (February 1), and the agency will seek his remand for custodial interrogation.
- Champai Soren, a close aide of Hemant Soren’s father (Shibu Soren), has been chosen as a successor to Hemant Soren.
- Champai Soren has been elected as the leader of the JMM legislative party. He approached the governor and staked a claim to form the new government in Jharkhand with the support of 47 legislators.
What does Hemant Soren’s arrest signify?
- Hemant Soren’s involvement in the nexus of land scams shows the scammers’ fearless attitude, highlighting the need for stricter laws and a change in the judiciary mechanism.
- Reassure the Honourable Prime Minister’s “Zero Tolerance” message against corruption.
- Restores the confidence of the people towards the central probe agencies
- The arrest of Hemant Soren has notably shaken the morale of Delhi Chief Minister Mr Arvind Kejriwal, who was also issued the 5th summons on January 31, 2024, by the ED in connection with the Delhi Excise Policy case. The AAP supremo has been told to appear before the central probe agency on Friday (February 2, 2024)
- Hemant soren arrest also challenged Arvind Kejriwal’s wish to run the Delhi government from jail (if arrested).
- Given Soren’s stature in Indian politics, his arrest could generate tremendous ripple effects across other states in India. It might be a cautionary tale for other leaders to clamp down on corruption.
Given the political unrest in Jharkhand, it is clear that the arrest of one well-known politician will not be enough to end corruption; instead, there is a need for stricter legislation. We, as citizens, need to show the exit door to all corrupt leaders in the upcoming elections. Our honourable prime minister has already embarked on a “zero tolerance” journey towards corruption and now is the time for the citizens to join the movement. With all possible anti-corruption practices in place, we hope to see an improvement in the corruption perceptions index in India, which ranks 93 out of 180 countries in 2023.
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