‘Benami’ BMW, Rs 36 Lakh, Docs Seized From Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren’s Delhi Residence: ED

New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate seized Rs 36 lakh in cash, a BMW SUV, and some ‘incriminating’ documents during its search at the Delhi residence of Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren, PTI reported citing official sources. The federal agency conducted extensive searches at the residence of the JMM leader in south Delhi on Monday. They stayed there for nearly 13 hours as part of an inquiry into a money laundering case linked to an alleged land deal in Jharkhand.

The sources told PTI that the ED teams seized about Rs 36 lakh in cash, a Haryana-registered BMW SUV under a name that the ED considers “benami” and some “incriminating” documents during the day-long operation. Soren, who reached Ranchi earlier in the day, has informed the ED that he will record his statement before the agency officials on Wednesday at his residence in the state capital around 1 pm, as per the PTI report.

In Ranchi, a party official disclosed that all legislators from the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha-led ruling alliance have been instructed to remain in the state capital and attend a meeting on Tuesday to discuss the current political situation, the PTI report added.

As per the central probe agency, the investigation pertains to a “huge racket of illegal change of ownership of land by the mafia” in Jharkhand. So far, the ED has arrested 14 individuals in connection with the case, including 2011-batch IAS officer Chhavi Ranjan, who served as the director of the state’s Social Welfare Department and as deputy commissioner of Ranchi. Additionally, the agency apprehended Bhanu Prasad Prasad, an employee of the Jharkhand Land Revenue Department, in relation to the case, reported PTI.

According to ED, the investigation pertains to “huge amounts of proceeds of crime generated by manipulation of official records by showing dummy sellers and purchasers in the guise of forged/ bogus documents to acquire huge parcels of land having value in crores”.  Section 144 CrPc was imposed within a 100-metre radius of CM Soren’s residence, Raj Bhavan, and ED office in Ranchi.