ED arrests four more persons in money laundering case against Hemant Soren
Enforcement Directorate (ED) has made four fresh arrests in connection with the alleged illegal land grab-linked money laundering case against former Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren and others, official sources said on Wednesday. Those taken into custody under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) have been identified as Antu Tirkey, Priya Ranjan Sahay, Bipin Singh and Irshad, they said.
The ED had on Tuesday conducted searches at the premises of Tirkey and some others here and the four were arrested following their questioning.
Tirkey is allegedly linked to Soren while Singh is a real estate businessman. Sahay «forged» some land-related documents along with others, according to the charge sheet filed in the case.
With these arrests, the total number of people taken into custody in this case has risen to eight.
Soren, 48, was arrested by the ED in January shortly after he resigned as the chief minister. He is currently lodged in Birsa Munda jail at Hotwar here under judicial custody. Prime accused and former revenue department sub-inspector Bhanu Pratap Prasad, Mohammed Saddam Hussain and Afshar Ali have also been arrested.
The probe against Soren pertains to an 8.86-acre plot of land in Ranchi that the ED has alleged was illegally acquired by him.
Soren had moved a bail petition before a special court in Ranchi on Tuesday, alleging that his arrest by the ED was politically motivated and part of a well-orchestrated conspiracy to coerce him to join the BJP.
The agency had filed
