SUMAN K SHRIVASTAVA
Ranchi, February 9: Continuing to unravel the complex web of transactions and communications in the Ranchi land scam, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) today summoned and questioned former Chief Minister Hemant Soren’s Press Advisor, Abhishek Prasad alias Pintu, and close associate Binod Singh.
The ED had raided their premises on January 3.
Role in land scam
The agency questioned them for their role in the land scam and other rackets like transfer-posting and JSSC question leakage, among others. The interrogation was on till the report was filed.
According to sources, the agency extracted WhatsApp chat and other data from Pintu’s mobile today.
Notably, the ED presented WhatsApp chats running into 539 pages exchanged between Hemant Soren and Binod Singh as grounds to extend the former’s custody for another five days on Wednesday last.
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Hemant Soren, arrested on January 31, has been under the ED’s custody since February 3. The court extended the ED’s custody of Soren until February 12, allowing the agency more time to delve into the intricacies of the case.
According to the ED, these conversations are not merely casual dialogues but contain detailed discussions about various properties directly linked to the alleged scam.
The WhatsApp chats involve a range of topics, including exchanging confidential information about property dealings, transfer postings, and sharing government records.
The agency asserted that these interactions point to a substantial money flow, hinting at the depth of the financial irregularities involved.
Binod Singh’s chats with other individuals regarding the transfer of officials and the sharing of admit cards for competitive exams conducted by the Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission have also been scrutinised.
Bhanu’s custody was extended
In the meantime, the ED also got custody of the revenue official and kingpin in the scam, Bhanu Pratap Prasad, for another four days. The court initially granted his custody for four days on Tuesday, which ended today. The court extended his custody under the ED to confront him with many land records seized from his house.
Hemant Soren is not revealing much
Soren, meanwhile, is said to have refused to answer questions related to the alleged racket of transfer-posting and question paper leak, saying they were not associated with the scheduled offence (read illegally acquiring 8.5 acres of land).