A special PMLA court in Ranchi on Monday rejected the discharge petition filed by Chief Minister Hemant Soren in a case registered by the Enforcement Directorate in connection with the Badgai land scam and money laundering case.
Court Observations
The court of Additional Judicial Commissioner-1 Yogesh Kumar stated that the materials on record revealed more than a suspicion and raised a prima facie case against the Chief Minister. The court also observed that, as per laws related to the discharge petition, it was not required to determine whether the prosecution would ultimately succeed in proving its case beyond doubt, adding that it is only required to examine whether the materials on record were sufficient for proceeding against the accused.
Case Background
The case concerns 8.83 acres of land in the Badgai circle of Ranchi district. On June 1, 2023, then Circle Officer (CO) Manoj Kumar registered a case against then Revenue Sub-Inspector Bhanu Pratap Prasad under various sections of the Indian Penal Code. This step was taken after a survey conducted by the CO found that land records were falsified and tampered with.
The ED also registered a case in this connection in 2023 and started an investigation. The agency later alleged that Prasad was part of a syndicate involved in acquiring land by fraudulent means, which involved tampering with original government registers, falsification of government records, and manufacturing of false documents. The ED further claimed that Prasad was an accomplice to several persons, including the Chief Minister, in the illegal act.
Legal Proceedings
Hemant Soren filed the discharge petition before the PMLA court on December 12, 2025. After hearing both sides, the court reserved its order on June 6.
