The Jharkhand High Court on Wednesday dismissed the petition by former Chief Minister Hemant Soren seeking permission to attend the budget session of the Jharkhand Legislative Assembly. The former Jhakhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) chief was arrested on January 31 in connection with a money laundering case linked to an alleged land scam case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).
Soren had moved the high court after a special PMLA court in Ranchi dismissed his petition on February 22. The high court had reserved its verdict on Tuesday. Today on February 29, the court dismissed his petition, the ANI reported.
ED has 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 ex-Jharkhand in its searches in the alleged money laundering case.
The ED further accused Soren of being 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.
The ED has submitted that Soren was found to be guilty under Section 3 of PMLA and was liable to be arrested under Section 19 of the money laundering act, the ED has submitted in court. The ED has also alleged that the 8.5 acre land parcels are part of criminal proceeds as Soren illegally acquired and occupied them.
Earlier, Soren had attended the trust vote in the Jharkhand Legislative Assembly on February 5. At present, the JMM chief is remanded to judicial custody at the Birsa Munda Central Jail.