A Prevention Of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court on Friday sent the former Jharkhand Chief Minister and Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) head Hemant Soren to 5-days Enforcement Directorate custody.
He was arrested by the investigation agency in a money laundering case related to the alleged land scam on January 31. The ED had asked for 10 days of custody from the court. However, the PMLA court only granted 5 days of custody to them.
The ED on Thursday claimed that it recovered cash worth more than Rs 36 lakhs and documents pertaining to the illegal possession and occupation of at least 12 land parcels by Soren in its searches in the alleged money laundering case.
The ED has said that it has found that Soren was actually and knowingly involved in process and activities connected with the acquisition, concealment, possession, and use of proceeds of crime and projecting the said proceeds of crime as untainted property.
Soren was found to be guilty under Section 3 of Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) and was liable to be arrested under Section 19 of the money laundering act, the ED has submitted in court.
ED has said that the 8.5 acre land parcels are part of criminal proceeds as Soren illegally acquired and occupied them.
The Supreme Court on Friday refused to entertain Soren's plea against the ED arrest and asked him to approach the Jharkhand High Court first.
Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for Soren, submitted that the matter pertains to a chief minister who has been arrested. Senior Advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, also appearing for Soren, said that the court has concurrent powers to hear the case.
However, the top court said that high courts are constitutional courts too and Soren must first approach the high court.
The Jharkhand High Court is likely to hear Soren's petition against his arrest by the ED on February 5.