Ranchi, Feb 12: The Enforcement Directorate on Monday alleged that former Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren was showing “acute non-cooperation” in the money laundering investigation being conducted against him and others.
The central agency said that Soren was “reluctant” to divulge information about the lands allegedly acquired by him.
The central agency produced the 48-year-old JMM leader before the special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court of Judge Rajiv Ranjan which extended his remand to the ED for three more days.
Soren was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on January 31 after he resigned as the chief minister.
The agency told the court that a WhatsApp chat between the politician and his alleged “close associate” Binod Singh showed details of a banquet hall that was proposed to be built on a 8.5 acre land in the Baragai area of Ranchi which the ED alleges is an immovable asset “illegally acquired and possessed” by Soren.
“The accused person Shri Hemant Soren 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 ED said in its paper seeking four-day remand of Soren.
The agency said that the former chief minister was being confronted with his WhatsApp Chats with Binod Singh and these contain exchange of information relating to immovable properties. (PTI)
