Ranchi: A special PMLA court here on Wednesday framed charges against chief minister Hemant Soren in the alleged illegal acquisition in the Bargain area of the city. Hemant, who appeared before the court through videoconferencing, has denied all the allegations.The development came as the Jharkhand high court directed the Enforcement Directorate (ED} to file an affidavit on Hemant’s petition challenging the proceedings before the PMLA court. The petition is being heard by a division bench headed by Chief Justice M S Sonak and Justice Manoj Prasad and the trial is scheduled to begin on Nov 30.Hemant approached the HC after the special court rejected his discharge petition on June 8 and his revision petition was subsequently dismissed by Justice Sujit Narayan Prasad on Sept 18.He has sought a stay on the proceedings before the PMLA court until the investigation is completed, arguing that ED had sought permission to file supplementary prosecution complaints.HC has not stayed the proceedings in the lower court, Hemant’s lawyer Sanjeev Sahay said. The matter, including the question of maintainability, has been listed for further hearing on Oct 29.The case relates to land in Shanti Nagar, under the Bargain circle, which ED has alleged was acquired and possessed illegally. The court had earlier framed charges against 16 other accused in the case, including former revenue sub-inspector Bhanu Pratap Prasad.The case originated from an FIR registered on June 1, 2023, by then circle officer Manoj Kumar against Pratap Prasad after alleged tampering of official land records came to light. ED subsequently registered a money-laundering case and arrested Hemant on Jan 31, 2024. HC granted him bail on June 28 that year.
