Former Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren moves Supreme Court over HC not pronouncing verdict on plea challenging his arrest

Former Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren today approached the Supreme Court stating that the High Court is not pronouncing a verdict on his plea against the arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).

Hemant Soren told the apex court that the Jharkhand High Court had reserved its verdict on February 28 on his plea against the arrest but no decision has been delivered. The former Chief Minister was arrested by the ED in January shortly after he resigned as the Chief Minister. The investigation against Hemant Soren pertains to an 8.86-acre plot of land in Ranchi that the ED has alleged was illegally acquired by him.

Appearing for Hemant Soren, Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal mentioned the matter before Justice Sanjiv Khanna. Kapil Sibal said that the matter was heard by the High Court on February 27 and 28 but the order is yet to be delivered. He further said that delay in pronouncing the order would mean that Soren will remain in jail during the Lok Sabha elections.

The Senior Advocate stated that they had moved an Article 32 plea in the Hemant Soren matter. He added that they had (later) approached the High Court and the matter was heard on Feb 27-28 and judgment is not delivered yet. He further mentioned that Soren  will be inside and elections will be over, adding that if they say something more then it will be like they are attacking the judiciary.However, Justice Khanna said that the Chief Justice of India (CJI) will have to take a call on listing of the matter.

Hemant Soren had stepped down as Chief Minister of Jharkhand on January 31 in the wake of his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in a money laundering case related to the illegal change of ownership of land by the mafia in the state.