RANCHI: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Wednesday arrested four people in the land scam case. Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) leader Antu Tirkey is also included in this. ED has arrested Priyaranjan Sahay, real estate businessman Vipin Singh and Irshad. His premises were raided on Tuesday morning, after which he was brought to the ED office in Ranchi late night and later arrested.
On Tuesday morning, the ED team reached the residence of JMM leader Antu Tirkey at Bariatu Medical Chowk and conducted searches. Apart from Antu Tirkey, the team also visited Vipin Singh’s residence in Morhabadi, Shekhar Kushwaha’s residence in Khelgaon as well as Priyaranjan Sahay and textile businessman in Kokar. ED also raided Irshad’s hideout. Even before this, ED had raided the houses of Vipin Singh, Shekhar Kushwaha and Priyaranjan Sahay in the land scam case. Once again their place was raided.
The investigating agency had arrested former Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren in January in the land scam case. ED is investigating a case against Soren related to acquiring 8.86 acres of land in Ranchi. ED alleges that the former Chief Minister has illegally got this land transferred to his name. Names of many leaders and officials have come to light in this case, who are being interrogated. In many cases, the investigating agency has also arrested people after interrogation.
The ED had on Tuesday arrested Afshar Ali, who is already in judicial custody in a money laundering case, in connection with the investigation of the scam. ED arrested Afshar in a new case after permission from the court. Afshar Ali is accused of being associated with the main accused in the case registered against Hemant Soren and former sub-inspector of the Revenue Department, Bhanu Pratap Prasad.
In collusion with the accused, he committed fraud to grab lands in Jharkhand. This is the fourth arrest made by ED in this case. The investigating agency first arrested Hemant Soren in January. He is currently lodged in Birsa Munda jail located in Hotwar, capital Ranchi. ED then also arrested Bhanu Pratap Prasad and a person named Mohammad Saddam Hussain.
