Former Chief Minister (CM) of Jharkhand, Hemant Soren, has approached the Supreme Court against the High Court’s turning down of his petition challenging arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the alleged ‘Land Scam’ case on Monday, May 6.
Soren has moved the apex court days after the Jharkhand High Court prononunced its verdict dismissing Soren’s petition in the case after a gap of over two months.
The Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) leader, through his council, Kapil Sibbal, on Monday, May 6 requested the bench give early consideration to the Special Leave Petition filed against the High Court’s rejection of his plea.
While mentioning the matter before the Chief Justice of India (CJI), DY Chandrachud, Sibbal requested an urgent listing of the matter, citing Lok Sabha Election in the state commencing from May 13.
The CJI led bench was further informed that the previous pending petition is to be taken by the bench of Justice Sanjiv Khanna tomorrow, following which the CJI asked Sibbal to circulate an email in this regard so that both matters be listed together.
Notably, the former Jharkhand’s CM had earlier moved the court, highlighting High Court’s delay in pronouncing the verdict on his petition challenging arrest by ED. The High Court had reserved its verdict for February 28 of this year.
The apex court issued notices on Soren’s petition over the delay in verdict while providing liberty to the HC to pronounce the verdict. The HC on Friday, in its verdict, turned down Soren’s petition and denied bail to him.
However, the JMM chairperson was granted an interim bail for one day to attend funeral rituals of his late uncle who passed recently. The HC however directed Soren’s to remain in the judicial custody while disallowing his interaction with the media.
Soren walks out on bail
Notably, Hemant Soren walks out from the Birsa Munda Central Jail, Hotwar to attend the funeral rituals of his late uncle Rajaram Soren in his ancestral village, Nemara on May 6.
Accompanied by his wife Kalpana Soren, the Former CM was witnessed interacting with his father, Sibu Soren and others on Monday.
It must be noted that Soren was arrested by the ED in connection with the money laundering case on January 31 this year. Before his arrest the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) leader had tendered his resignation from the CM’s post following which party loyalist Champai Soren was sworn in as his successor.
Investigation by ED
It is worth mentioning here that earlier, the ED submitted a 5,500-page complaint before a special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court in Ranchi in connection with the alleged land scam on March 30. Earlier, the central probe agency had also attached 8.5 acres of land in connection with the case.
The ED also claimed to recover cash over Rs 36 lakh from the possession of the JMM leader, along with documents linked to the investigation into the alleged acquisition of land through ‘fraudulent means’.
It is to be noted that the ED is also investigating a money laundering case linked to illegal stone mining at Nimbu Pahadi of Sahibganj, in which proceed of crime worth Rs1000 crore were illegally generated, as claimed by the ED. The agency has identified Pankaj Mishra, an MLA representative of the former CM Soren, as a key accused in the case.
