Ranchi: In a significant setback for Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren, a special court hearing cases under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) has dismissed his discharge petition in connection with the alleged 8.86-acre land fraud-linked money laundering case.
The court had reserved its order after completing hearings from both sides on May 2. Soren had sought to be discharged from the case, arguing that he was innocent and that the Enforcement Directorate (ED) had no substantial evidence to support the allegations against him.
In the petition filed on December 5, 2025, the Chief Minister had termed the accusations unfounded and requested that he be released from all charges in the matter. However, with the court rejecting the plea, the legal proceedings will now advance to the stage of framing charges.
The ED has carried out several rounds of searches and interrogations as part of its investigation into the alleged land scam. The agency has already filed charge sheets against around 18 accused persons in the case.
The court’s decision is expected to pave the way for further proceedings in one of the high-profile money laundering cases being investigated in Jharkhand.