ED makes fresh arrest in money laundering case against Hemant Soren
Ranchi (PTI): The Enforcement Directorate has arrested an alleged broker in connection with a land grab-linked money laundering case against former Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren and some others, official sources said.
According to them, 39-year-old Shekhar Prasad Mahto alias Sehkhar Kushwaha was arrested on Wednesday under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) after his interrogation at the federal agency's zonal office here.
Mahto is alleged to have "connived" with the prime accused in this case and former revenue department sub-inspector Bhanu Pratap Prasad in preparing a "fake" deed and "tampering" government records to "acquire" a 4.83-acre land, valued at Rs 22.61 crore, in Ranchi.
The agency alleged that the man was "knowingly involved in the processes and activities connected with proceeds of crime (in the form of land and money) which are derived from illegal activities i.e. preparation of fake deeds, committing forgery, falsification and tampering with government records".
It claimed that Mahto was "involved in a big conspiracy wherein huge proceeds of crime" were involved.
The ED produced Mahto before a special PMLA court here on Thursday and informed the judge that the accused's custody was required "to ascertain the proceeds of crime used and generated out of the said activities and to find the trail of proceeds of crime involved in the present case".
The probe agency added that it wanted Mahto's remand to "identify" the other beneficiaries of these activities.
More than 25 people, including Jharkhand Mukti Morcha leader Hemant Soren, IAS officer and former Ranchi deputy commissioner Chhavi Ranjan, Bhanu Pratap Prasad and others have been arrested by the ED as part of this investigation.
Land parcels worth Rs 266 crore, including a clutch of plots spread across 8.86 acres in the Bargain area of Ranchi acquired "illegally" by Soren, have been attached by the agency till now and four charge sheets have been filed.
The latest supplementary chargesheet was filed on June 7 before a special court here, according to official sources.
In a related development, the ED on Wednesday informed the Jharkhand High Court that Soren was instrumental in illegally occupying land in the Bargain area of Ranchi.
Soren (48), who is also the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) executive president, had filed a petition before the high court on May 27, seeking bail in a money-laundering case linked to an alleged land scam.
He has strongly denied land-grabbing charges, saying the money laundering case was foisted against him by the BJP-led Central government as part of a political vendetta. Soren was arrested by the ED on January 31 from the Ranchi Raj Bhavan, minutes after he resigned as chief minister.
"A racket of land mafia is active in Jharkhand which is involved in tampering the land records in Ranchi and Kolkata. Original land records of ownerships are either tampered or concealed to facilitate unlawful acquisition/possession/use of landed properties," the ED had claimed.
Based on forged records, such land parcels are sold to other persons, it had said.
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Mamata visits Bhabanipur EVM strong room, warns against counting irregularities
Kolkata (PTI): West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee early Friday warned against any attempt to tamper with the counting process, hours after she visited an EVM strong room in Bhabanipur, alleging possible malpractice.
Banerjee, who emerged around 12:07 am after spending nearly four hours at the counting centre for her Bhabanipur constituency housed in Sakhawat Memorial School in south Kolkata, said only one person would be allowed inside the designated counting area.
"Either the candidate or one agent can stay upstairs. I have also suggested installation of a CCTV camera for the media," she told reporters.
Stressing the need for transparency, she said, "It is essential to maintain transparency. People’s votes must be protected. I rushed here after receiving complaints. The central forces initially did not allow me to enter."
Sounding a stern note ahead of the May 4 counting, she added, "If there is any plan to tamper with the counting process, it will not be tolerated."
On Thursday evening, Banerjee had reached the Bhabanipur Assembly segment counting centre, which houses the strong room for EVMs used in the April 29 polling, citing suspicion of tampering with the machines.
She entered the premises along with her election agent and remained inside for hours, even as Kolkata Mayor and TMC candidate from the Kolkata Port segment Firhad Hakim reached the spot but could not meet her.
"I reached here upon learning that the chief minister has arrived. But I couldn’t meet her since she was already inside the premises, exercising her right as a candidate to visit strong rooms. I wasn’t allowed there. I will not be able to confirm what exactly is transpiring inside," Hakim said.
The development coincided with protests by TMC candidates Kunal Ghosh and Shashi Panja outside the Khudiram Anushilan Kendra in north Kolkata, where they staged a sit-in alleging irregularities and possible tampering of EVMs stored in strong rooms, leading to face-offs between TMC and BJP supporters.
Earlier in a video message, Banerjee had urged party leaders, workers and polling agents to maintain a 24-hour vigil on EVM strong rooms, alleging that the BJP could attempt to tamper with the machines before counting begins.
Her remarks come amid heightened political tension in the state following a fiercely contested Assembly election, with parties closely monitoring arrangements and raising concerns over transparency.
