NEW DELHI: Former Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren claimed that the BJP is jittery after his release from jail, alleging that top party leaders are conspiring against him again. Soren made these remarks during a rally in Sahibganj, Jharkhand after being granted bail in an alleged land scam case by the state high court on Friday.
Addressing the crowd, Soren said, “Like the Santhal uprising against the British, we declare rebellion to drive out feudal forces.” He said that his arrest and subsequent legal battles were part of a larger scheme to silence dissent.”I was implicated in false cases; the Centre unleashes probe agencies to harass those who raise their voice against it,” he said.
Soren, who was released from Ranchi’s Birsa Munda Central Jail on Friday, was welcomed by his wife Kalpana Soren and JMM General Secretary Vinod Kumar Pandey. The high court’s order, issued by Justice Rongon Mukhopadhyay, stated that prima facie Soren is not guilty of the offence and that there is no likelihood of him committing an offence while on bail.
Soren’s advocates, Arunabh Chowdhury and Kapil Sibal, argued that the case against him was politically motivated and fabricated. The central agency, however, opposed the bail, alleging that Soren abused his position as chief minister to unlawfully acquire 8.86 acres of land in Bargain Anchal.
The ED’s counsel claimed that witnesses confirmed Soren’s involvement in the illegal land deal, and that Soren’s media consultant, Abhishek Prasad, admitted to manipulating official records under Soren’s instructions. The agency further alleged that the original landowner, Raj Kumar Pahan, attempted to file a complaint but no action was taken.
Soren was apprehended by the Enforcement Directorate in January in connection with the land scam, which involves significant amounts of proceeds generated through forgery of official records and falsified documents.
At the rally, Soren likened his situation to the historic Santhal uprising against the British, declaring a rebellion to drive out feudal forces. He emphasized Jharkhand’s legacy as a land of revolutionaries and asserted that he and his supporters are not afraid of jail, lathi, or execution.
(With agency inputs)
Addressing the crowd, Soren said, “Like the Santhal uprising against the British, we declare rebellion to drive out feudal forces.” He said that his arrest and subsequent legal battles were part of a larger scheme to silence dissent.”I was implicated in false cases; the Centre unleashes probe agencies to harass those who raise their voice against it,” he said.
Soren, who was released from Ranchi’s Birsa Munda Central Jail on Friday, was welcomed by his wife Kalpana Soren and JMM General Secretary Vinod Kumar Pandey. The high court’s order, issued by Justice Rongon Mukhopadhyay, stated that prima facie Soren is not guilty of the offence and that there is no likelihood of him committing an offence while on bail.
Soren’s advocates, Arunabh Chowdhury and Kapil Sibal, argued that the case against him was politically motivated and fabricated. The central agency, however, opposed the bail, alleging that Soren abused his position as chief minister to unlawfully acquire 8.86 acres of land in Bargain Anchal.
The ED’s counsel claimed that witnesses confirmed Soren’s involvement in the illegal land deal, and that Soren’s media consultant, Abhishek Prasad, admitted to manipulating official records under Soren’s instructions. The agency further alleged that the original landowner, Raj Kumar Pahan, attempted to file a complaint but no action was taken.
Soren was apprehended by the Enforcement Directorate in January in connection with the land scam, which involves significant amounts of proceeds generated through forgery of official records and falsified documents.
At the rally, Soren likened his situation to the historic Santhal uprising against the British, declaring a rebellion to drive out feudal forces. He emphasized Jharkhand’s legacy as a land of revolutionaries and asserted that he and his supporters are not afraid of jail, lathi, or execution.
(With agency inputs)
