Land Scam Case: The Jharkhand High Court, on Friday, granted bail to former state Chief Minister Hemant Soren in a money laundering case linked to a land scam. Soren, the executive president of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), was arrested on January 31 and sent to ED remand by a local court on February 2. The high court had on June 13 reserved its decision on Soren's bail plea. "Bail has been granted to Soren. The court has held that prima facie he is not guilty of the offence and there is no likelihood of the petitioner committing an offence when on bail," Soren's senior counsel Arunabh Chowdhury told PTI.

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After his arrest by ED, the JMM president moved to the Supreme Court. In his plea, the former chief minister accused the ED of arresting him as part of a "well-orchestrated conspiracy" by the Centre. The 48-year-old politician is currently lodged in Birsa Munda jail.

Case Against Hemant Soren

The probe particularly focuses on an 8.86-acre plot in Ranchi, which the ED claims Soren illegally acquired. This investigation stems from multiple FIRs filed by the Jharkhand Police in land scam cases against several people, including state government officials. The ED is investigating allegations of significant proceeds of crime resulting from the manipulation of official records by showing dummy sellers and purchasers in the guise of bogus documents to acquire huge parcels of land.

(With Agencies Inputs)