New Delhi. The court today framed charges against Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren in the money laundering case related to the Badgai land scam. Hemant Soren appeared before the Special PMLA Court of Ranchi today through video conferencing. The Enforcement Directorate has made a total of 17 people accused in this case. Action has been taken against all of them under the Prevention of Money-Laundering Act, 2002. Earlier, Hemant Soren had filed a petition in the Jharkhand High Court demanding a stay on the ongoing proceedings in the trial court and the process of framing charges. The High Court had rejected Hemant's petition on September 19.
In the petition filed on behalf of Hemant Soren, it was requested that framing of charges in the PMLA court should be stayed until the hearing on his main petition in the Jharkhand High Court is completed. But the court did not give him relief. This case is related to the acquisition of 8.86 acres of land in Badgai area of Ranchi. ED alleges that the documents of this land were allegedly manipulated and after that the land was acquired illegally. ED has also linked this case to money laundering. Hemant Soren was also arrested in this case on 31 January 2024. He had to leave the post of Chief Minister. After being in jail for several days, he got bail from the High Court on June 28.
After the charges are framed in the PMLA Special Court, now the trial in this case will go on and the statements of the witnesses will be recorded. The court has asked the prosecution to present witnesses. However, Hemant Soren has been rejecting the allegations against him since the beginning. The court has fixed October 28 for the next hearing of the case.