Ranchi PMLA Court Frames Charges Against Hemant Soren in 8.86-Acre Land Case

Ranchi, September 30, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)

A special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court in Ranchi on Wednesday formally framed charges against Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren in a money laundering case linked to an alleged fraudulent acquisition of 8.86 acres of land in the Bargain Circle area.

Soren appeared before the court through video conferencing during the proceedings. With charges now framed against him, the case is set to move into the trial stage. The court had earlier framed charges against the other 16 accused in the case.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) case concerns allegations of manipulation of land and revenue records and the illegal acquisition and possession of the property. The agency has alleged that a network involving private individuals and government officials used forged documents and tampered records to facilitate unlawful acquisition of land.

A total of 17 people have been named as accused in the case. Soren was the last accused against whom charges remained to be framed, according to reports on the proceedings.

Before the charges were framed, Soren had approached the Jharkhand High Court seeking a stay on proceedings before the trial court. The High Court did not grant immediate relief on Wednesday and directed the ED to file a supplementary affidavit and provide a copy to the concerned parties.

The next hearing before the High Court has been scheduled for October 28. The ED has also raised objections concerning the maintainability of Soren’s writ petition.

The ED had earlier alleged that the 8.86-acre property was illegally acquired and possessed through manipulation of land records. Soren has denied having any link to the property, according to court records and reports on the case.

The framing of charges does not amount to a finding of guilt. The prosecution will now present evidence and examine witnesses, after which the defence will have an opportunity to present its case.

The trial will proceed before the Special PMLA Court in accordance with the law.