‘539 Pages of WhatsApp Chats, 11 Trunks Full of Land Deeds’: Why ED Acted Against Hemant Soren | Exclusive

Screenshots of WhatsApp chats between Jharkhand’s former chief minister Hemant Soren and his associate discussing the kickbacks received from the transfer postings of senior officers and from some of the illegal cartels for leaking details of state civil service examination aspirants are part of the Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) 18-page petition seeking extension of his custody. News18 has accessed the petition and has copies of the screenshots.

ALSO READ | Chats, Images on Land Scam Co-Accused’s Phone Did Hemant Soren In? ED Banks on Proof to Corner Ex-CM

The ED arrested Soren last week in connection with a land scam. The agency, in the petition, claimed that it has retrieved 539 pages of WhatsApp chats, of which a few were attached with the petition. During the investigation into the land scam, the agency stumbled upon some more incriminating evidence, including the chats, which blew the lid off certain “malpractices” going on in the government.

The Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court in Ranchi on Wednesday extended Soren’s ED custody by seven days.

Months before the arrest, the ED seized several documents, including fake land deeds and other records, mobile phones and land registers from the premises of the accused and members of “land syndicates”.

LINKS TO LAND GRAB SYNDICATE

The ED, in the court, stated that the case is based on recovery of 17 original registers seized during the searches on April 14, 2023, along with voluminous documents filling up 11 trunks, from the premises of Bhanu Pratap Prasad, an accused.

“During searches, mobile phones of Prasad were also seized and scrutinised. He was involved in corrupt activities and was party to activities linked to the fraudulent acquisition of properties by falsification of original records, manufacturing fake deeds and concealment of original records etc,” the ED said.

ALSO READ | ‘They Can Keep Targeting Me, I’m Not Afraid’: Hemant Soren in Interview Before Arrest

“For the above stated purposes, he had concealed all registers at premises under his control and use. Bhanu Pratap Prasad along with other six members of the said land grabbing syndicate were arrested on April 14, 2023 for their involvement in illegal activities. Accordingly, the information was shared under section 66(2) of the PMLA, 2002 with the Chief Secretary of Jharkhand after which the above stated First Information Report (FIR) no. 272/2023 was registered in January last year,” it added.

The information shared under section 66(2) of the PMLA, 2002, is an integral part of the FIR in which the details of the 17 registers containing ownership details of the properties were shared with the State of Jharkhand. Prasad was part of a land grabbing syndicate, which was engaged in acquiring land through various illegal means including manufacturing fake deeds, falsifying original registers, tampering with the records, concealment of records and other fraudulent activities, the ED said.

BRIBES FROM TRANSFER POSTINGS, SHARING GOVT RECORDS & INFO ON CIVIL SERVICE ASPIRANTS

The ED, in the petition, said, “During the custody, the accused person Shri Hemant Soren was confronted with the materials available with this office. The accused has been showing acute non-cooperation and is reluctant to divulge true facts regarding the properties acquired by him and other persons connected to him.”

“The accused was also confronted with his chats over WhatsApp with his close associate Binod Singh, which are highly incriminating and contain details of several properties. However, the accused person refused to even sign and acknowledge the printout of the WhatsApp chats, although, he has admitted that there are conversations between them,” the ED said.

ALSO READ | From Going ‘Untraceable’ to Resigning as CM, A Timeline of Hemant Soren’s Arrest by ED

The directorate further said in the petition that “the above stated WhatsApp chats not only include the exchange of confidential information regarding several properties, but other incriminating information relating to transfer posting, sharing of government records etc. out of which huge amount of money appears to have been generated and transacted”.

The agency has given exclusive details of the nature of the conversation in the petition which are indicative of certain malpractices related to the posting of officers and details of civil service aspirants. “In addition to this, Binod Singh has WhatsApp chats with several other persons in relation to transfer posting of officials, possession and sharing of several admit cards of students appearing for competitive exams held by the Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission etc,” the ED added.

‘SOREN HAS NOT PRODUCED HIS MOBILE PHONE’

The agency explained that the attached images of WhatsApp chats “are only a few samples of the conversation which Shri Hemant Soren was having with his associate Binod Singh.”

ALSO READ | Hemant Soren 3rd CM to be Arrested in Jharkhand’s 23-Yr Statehood; 2nd Jolt to INDIA After Nitish Exit

“Their conversation has been printed in total 539 pages (excluding the media). These chats have exchange of several confidential documents. That, in compliance of the order dated 03.02.2024, Shri Hemant Soren was taken to Vidhan Sabha for casting his vote on 05.02.2024. It is stated that a substantial time passed out in arrangements and bringing him back to this office for the purpose of investigation. During investigation, Shri Hemant Soren was requested to produce his mobile in which he had conversation and chats with Binod Singh,” the ED stated in the petition.

“However, Shri Hemant Soren has deliberately not produced his mobile in order to conceal facts and stall investigation relating to suspected proceeds of crime,” it said.