Jailed Jharkhand ex-CM Hemant Soren's wife Kalpana on Monday filed her nomination as the JMM candidate from Gandey assembly seat in the state. Bypoll to the seat is scheduled on May 20 along with the parliamentary elections in the state. The seat in Giridih district fell vacant following the resignation of JMM MLA Sarfaraz Ahmad. Kalpana, 48, was accompanied by Jharkhand Chief Minister Champai Soren and brother-in-law Basant Soren, among others, when she filed her papers. Kalpana, a homemaker with MTech and MBA qualifications, completed her school education from Baripada in Odisha's Mayurbhanj district and obtained her engineering and MBA degrees from separate institutions in Bhubaneswar. Her political journey began at the 51st foundation day celebration of the JMM in Giridih district on March 4, when she claimed that a conspiracy had been orchestrated by opponents ever since the Hemant Soren-led coalition government came to power in 2019 and that Jharkhand will give a befitting r
The Supreme Court on Monday sought a response from the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on an interim bail plea of former Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren in a money laundering case. A bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Datta issued notice to the ED and sought its response by May 6. The bench said the Jharkhand High Court may pronounce its verdict on Soren's plea challenging his arrest in the case. The order was reserved on February 28. Senior advocates Kapil Sibal and Arunabh Chowdhury, appearing for Soren, said they want interim bail in the matter. Soren moved the top court on April 24, saying the high court was not pronouncing the verdict on his plea challenging his arrest in the case. Soren was arrested on January 31 shortly after he resigned as the chief minister, and state transport minister Champai Soren was named his successor. The probe against Soren pertains to an 8.86-acre plot of land in Ranchi that the ED has alleged was illegally acquired by him. The mon
Former Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Wednesday moved the Supreme Court, saying the high court is not pronouncing verdict on his plea challenging arrest by the Enforcement Directorate in a money laundering case. A bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Datta was told by senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for Soren, that the high court had reserved its verdict on February 28 on his plea but still no decision has been delivered. Soren was arrested on January 31 in the case after he resigned as the Jharkhand chief minister, and party loyalist and state transport minister Champai Soren was named as his successor. He was arrested after being grilled by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for seven hours in the case. The ED is probing the alleged "huge amounts of proceeds of crime generated by manipulation of official records by showing dummy sellers and purchasers in the guise of forged/bogus documents to acquire huge parcels of land having value in crores'.
A special PMLA court on Tuesday granted one more week to the Enforcement Directorate to reply to the bail petition of former Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren. The court also fixed May 1 as the next date of hearing in the matter. Soren was arrested by the ED on January 31 in connection with a money laundering case linked to an alleged land scam. He is at present in judicial custody and lodged at the Birsa Munda Central Jail in Ranchi. The ED had sought another two weeks to file a reply to Soren's bail petition, which was opposed by the former CM's cousels, who claimed that the probe agency wanted to deliberately delay the bail so that he could not come out of jail and campaign. Soren was represented virtually by senior lawyers Kapil Sibal and Arunabh Chowdhury. The PMLA court granted only one week to the ED and directed no further adjournments. Soren had on April 16 moved a bail petition before the special court, alleging that his arrest by the ED was politically motivated, a
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Sunday hit out at the BJP-led Centre for trying to "terrorise" former Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren, and asserted that the JMM leader preferred going to jail rather than parting ways with the INDIA bloc. He was addressing the opposition INDIA bloc's 'Ulgulan Nyay' rally at Prabhat Tara ground in Ranchi, which was attended by leaders of the anti-BJP alliance. "Hemant Soren was sent to jail for refusing to part ways with the INDIA bloc. Hemant Soren is a brave person who preferred going to jail rather than bowing down. BJP will be wiped out if it continues to terrorise tribals," Kharge said. Soren was arrested by the ED on January 31 in connection with a money laundering case linked to an alleged land fraud, immediately after his resignation as the chief minister. Kharge also attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi, alleging that he insulted President Droupadi Murmu and the tribal community by not inviting her to Ram temple consecration
People of Jharkhand will give "befitting reply" to BJP over the "injustice committed" to ex-CM Hemant Soren, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav claimed on Sunday. Speaking to reporters after arriving in Ranchi to take part in the INDIA bloc's 'Ulgulan Nyay' rally, he said the opposition coalition's objective was to root out the BJP to save the country and the Constitution. "People of Jharkhand will give a befitting reply to the BJP over the injustice committed to former CM Hemant Soren. Our objective is to root out the BJP to save the country, democracy and the constitution," he said. Maintaining that parties of the INDIA bloc were united, Yadav said, "The film of 400 seats has become a flop in the very first phase of Lok Sabha elections." Besides Yadav, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal's wife Sunita and Hemant Soren's spouse Kalpana are expected to address the rally, in a mega show of strength for the opposition bloc. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is unlikely
Lok Sabha poll 2024 campaign: In neighbouring Bihar, Union Home Minister Amit Shah is set to hold a public meeting in Katihar in support of NDA candidate Dulal Chand Goswami
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has made four fresh arrests in connection with the alleged illegal land grab-linked money laundering case against former Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren and others, official sources said on Wednesday. Those taken into custody under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) have been identified as Antu Tirkey, Priya Ranjan Sahay, Bipin Singh and Irshad, they said. The ED had on Tuesday conducted searches at the premises of Tirkey and some others here. With these arrests, the total number of people taken into custody in this case has risen to eight. Soren, 48, was arrested by the ED in January shortly after he resigned as the chief minister. He is currently lodged in Birsa Munda jail at Hotwar here under judicial custody. Prime accused and former revenue department sub-inspector Bhanu Pratap Prasad, Mohammed Saddam Hussian and Afshar Ali have also been arrested. The probe against Soren pertains to an 8.86-acre plot of land
The Enforcement Directorate has made a fresh arrest in connection with the money laundering investigation against former Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren and others, official sources said Tuesday. The federal agency also undertook some searches in Ranchi against a person named Antu Tirkey, who is allegedly linked to the case. The arrested person identified as Afshar Ali was lodged in jail under judicial custody in another money laundering case and the agency has taken his custody in the latest case after seeking a designated court's permission. Ali is accused of committing "forgery" for allegedly grabbing some land in Jharkhand in purported connivance with the prime accused in the case against Soren and former revenue department sub inspector Bhanu Pratap Prasad. This is the fourth arrest in the instant case. The 48-year-old JMM leader Soren was arrested by the ED in January shortly after he resigned as the CM. He is currently lodged at the Birsa Munda jail at Hotwar in Ranch
The Enforcement Directorate has made a fresh arrest in connection with its ongoing money laundering investigation against former Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren, official sources said Tuesday. Mohammed Saddam was lodged in jail as part of an alleged land scam case of Jharkhand and the central agency took his custody under the anti-money laundering law after an application was made to the court, the sources said. This is the third arrest in the case after the 48-year-old Soren and former state government revenue department sub inspector Bhanu Pratap Prasad. Saddam is alleged to have "forged" land records related to the 8.86 acre land in Ranchi that the ED has alleged was illegally acquired by the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) leader. Soren was arrested by the ED in January shortly after he resigned as the CM. He is currently lodged at the Birsa Munda jail at Hotwar in Ranchi under judicial custody.
Invoices of a refrigerator and smart TV are among the evidence the Enforcement Directorate used to support its claim that Jharkhand's ex-chief minister Hemant Soren acquired 8.86 acres of land worth more than Rs 31 crore illegally. The federal probe agency obtained these receipts from two Ranchi-based dealers and attached those to its charge sheet filed against the 48-year-old Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) leader and four others last month. The special PMLA court of Judge Rajiv Ranjan in Ranchi took cognisance of the prosecution complaint on April 4. Soren was arrested by the ED on January 31 in a money laundering case related to the alleged land grab, shortly after he resigned as chief minister. He is currently in judicial custody in Birsa Munda jail at Hotwar in Ranchi. According to the ED, the two gadgets were purchased in the name of the family members of one Santosh Munda who told the agency that he has been "residing as a caretaker of the property of Hemant Soren on the said l
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has attached 8.86 acres of land in Ranchi allegedly owned by former Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren as part of a money laundering investigation against him and his associates, the federal agency said on Thursday. The ED had filed a charge sheet against the 48-year-old JMM leader and four others -- Bhanu Pratap Prasad, Raj Kumar Pahan, Hilariyas Kachhap and Binod Singh -- on March 30 before a special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court here. The court took cognisance of the prosecution complaint on Thursday, the ED said in a statement. The ED requested the court for confiscation of the 8.86-acre plot. Soren was arrested in this case by the ED in January after he was questioned at his official residence in Ranchi. He resigned as the chief minister shortly before his arrest. He is in judicial custody and currently lodged in the Birsa Munda central jail in Ranchi's Hotwar. The money laundering investigation stems from multiple FIRs ..
Lok Sabha elections: The JMM has named Nalin Soren as its candidate for the Dumka constituency, where the BJP has fielded Hemant Soren's sister-in-law, Sita Soren
Former Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren on Monday withdrew from the Supreme Court his plea challenging a high court order that refused to grant him permission to attend the Budget session of the Assembly. Soren had sought permission from the Jharkhand High Court to attend the Budget session that started on February 23 and came to an end on March 2. On February 28, the high court had dismissed his plea. When his plea came up for hearing before a bench of Justices Surya Kant and K V Viswanathan on Monday, senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for Soren, said he be allowed to withdraw the plea as the Budget session came to an end on March 2. "I wish to withdraw this," Sibal said, adding the question of law raised in the plea may be kept open. The apex court allowed him to withdraw the plea, and said the question of law is left open. Soren was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on January 31 in connection with a money laundering case. He is presently under judicial ...
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A court here has summoned incarcerated former Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren next month holding him prima facie guilty of disobeying notices issued to him by the Enforcement Directorate in a money laundering probe linked to an alleged land grab case. The agency had filed a complaint against the senior Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) leader sometime back, saying he had failed to join the investigation under seven summonses issued to him, the first being on August 14 last year. He should be prosecuted under the Indian Penal Code's section 174 (non-attendance in obedience to an order from public servant), the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has said in its complaint. Soren was arrested by the ED on January 31 on money laundering charges following a second round of questioning at his official residence in Ranchi. He resigned as the chief minister before he was arrested. The 48-year-old JMM leader is under judicial custody at present. "From the contents of the complainant (ED) and the
A special PMLA court on Thursday remanded former Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren to judicial custody in connection with a money laundering case linked to an alleged land scam. The ruling Jharkhand Mukti Morcha executive president was in the ED custody. "Hemant Soren was produced before the special PMLA court today and he was remanded to judicial custody till February 22. We will file a bail application for him," said Advocate General Rajeev Ranjan, who appeared for the former chief minister. Soren was taken to Birsa Munda Central Jail at Hotwar in Ranchi from the court. He was arrested on January 31 by the ED. On February 2, the court granted five days of ED custody to Soren and extended it twice for seven days in total.
The Jharkhand High Court on Monday adjourned the hearing on a petition filed by arrested ex-chief minister Hemant Soren against the Enforcement Directorate (ED) till February 27. The court will again hear the plea on that day. It asked the federal agency to file a consolidated affidavit. The high court had on February 5 asked the ED to file its reply on Soren's petition. Soren was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate on January 31 in a money laundering case linked to an alleged land fraud. The JMM leader was on February 2 remanded to ED custody by a special PMLA (the Prevention of Money Laundering Act) court in Ranchi for five days. The court had on February 7 extended the ED remand of the former chief minister by five days.
The Enforcement Directorate has summoned Congress Rajya Sabha MP from Jharkhand Dhiraj Prasad Sahu for questioning in a money laundering case in which the central agency arrested former chief minister Hemant Soren, official sources said Thursday. Sahu, 64, was in the news after the Income-tax department in December recovered Rs 351.8 crore cash, an all-time high seizure, during raids against Odisha-based Boudh Distillery Pvt. Ltd. (BDPL), promoted by the family of the Congress legislator. Sources said the ED wants to question and record Sahu's statement in connection with his purported links with Soren and a BMW SUV that was seized by the agency from the JMM leader's house in Delhi sometime back. The agency raided a premise in Kardarpur village in Gurugram on Wednesday on whose address this Haryana number plate bearing SUV was registered, the sources said. Two locations in Kolkata were also searched in the same case on Wednesday. The ED suspects this vehicle to be allegedly linked
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