Ranchi
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has arrested an alleged broker in a money laundering case related to land grabbing involving former Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren and others, according to official sources.
The suspect, 39-year-old Shekhar Prasad Mahto, also known as Sehkhar Kushwaha, was arrested on Wednesday under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) following his interrogation at the ED’s zonal office. Mahto is accused of collaborating with the prime suspect, former revenue department sub-inspector Bhanu Pratap Prasad, in creating fake documents and tampering with government records to illegally acquire 4.83 acres of land in Ranchi valued at Rs 22.61 crore.
The ED alleges that Mahto was knowingly involved in illegal activities, including forgery and record falsification, to facilitate the land grab. They claim he was part of a large conspiracy involving significant proceeds of crime.
Mahto was presented before a special PMLA court on Thursday, where the ED requested his custody to trace the proceeds of the crime and identify other beneficiaries.
As part of the investigation, the ED has arrested over 25 individuals, including Hemant Soren, IAS officer Chhavi Ranjan, and Bhanu Pratap Prasad. They have attached land parcels worth Rs 266 crore, including plots in Ranchi’s Bargain area, and filed four charge sheets, the latest on June 7.
