HEMANT SOREN TO BE JHARKHAND CM AGAIN

Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) supremo Hemant Soren is all set to become the Chief Minister of Jharkhand once again.

Soren was released from jail on June 28 after nearly five months, following the high court's decision to grant him bail in a money laundering case related to an alleged land scam.

This comes after a meeting of INDIA bloc legislators held in Ranchi on Wednesday, convened by the former CM.

There were speculations that a change of guard is a possibility in Jharkhand after several programmes of sitting CM Champai Soren were cancelled on Tuesday and Wednesday. This also included cancelling the distribution of appointment letters to 1,500 selected teachers.

Soren's bail:

Soren, 48, had filed a petition before the high court on May 27 seeking bail.

He had strongly denied land-grabbing charges, saying the money laundering case was foisted against him by the BJP-led Central government as part of a political vendetta.

The High Court, last month, ordered to release him from the Birsa Munda Jail after he was arrested by the ED on January 31 from the Ranchi Raj Bhavan, minutes after he resigned as chief minister.

The ED had claimed to have recovered Rs 36 lakh in cash and documents related to the investigation, alleging that Soren had acquired 8.5 acres of land through fraudulent means. The investigation revealed that a syndicate, including Revenue Sub-Inspector Bhanu Pratap Prasad, was involved in corrupt property acquisitions.