The Enforcement Directorate (ED), investigating an alleged land scam in Jharkhand involving chief minister Hemant Soren, who was arrested and later released earlier this year, has uncovered that 1,800 acres of non-saleable tribal land were seized by a mafia through falsified records, according to sources familiar with the case.
The agency has received multiple complaints about land grabbing and identified proceeds of crime amounting to ₹3,000 crore, the sources said.
The case revolves around the alleged illegal acquisition of prime land designated as non-transferable under the Chota Nagpur Tenancy (CNT) Act, a law aimed at protecting the land rights of tribal and marginalized communities. The land was reportedly acquired using fraudulent deeds and fake identities, with tampered records from circle offices and the Registrar of Assurances (RoA) in Kolkata, as well as circle offices in Jharkhand.
“Following the arrest of key figures like Soren, several bureaucrats, and intermediaries, we received additional complaints about land grabbing. Our investigation revealed that 1,800 acres of land were fraudulently acquired by the mafia in a similar manner. We estimate the total value of the proceeds of crime to be ₹3,000 crore,” an ED official stated, requesting anonymity.
The official further added that all complaints are being verified, and the investigation is ongoing.
So far, at least 25 individuals, including Soren, have been arrested. The ED has alleged that land grabbers, along with their collaborators in revenue offices, forged land records dating back to 1932.
Soren, who was arrested on January 31 and released on June 28, has denied the charges. However, in its March charge sheet, the ED accused the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) leader of illegally acquiring 8.86 acres of land in Ranchi, valued at ₹31 crore.
During searches last year, the ED recovered 11 trunks full of property documents and 17 original registers from the premises of an accused, Bhanu Pratap Prasad.
Earlier, land registration for properties in Bihar (before Jharkhand became a separate state) was conducted at the RoA in Kolkata. This practice continued until 1991, after which registration was moved to local offices in Bihar and Jharkhand.
According to a second ED official, the accused forged backdated deeds for targeted properties in Kolkata and inserted them into original registers at the RoA. They then obtained certified copies of these forged deeds and sold the properties through a coordinated effort, using fake stamps and seals to create the false documents.
