Former Chief Minister of Jharkhand, Hemant Soren, has approached the Supreme Court seeking expedited handling of his bail plea in connection with the Ranchi land scam case. Soren has expressed concerns over the delay by the High Court in deciding his petition against the Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) arrest in the case involving a land scam and money laundering in the Bargadai region, covering 8.46 acres.
Presenting Soren’s case, senior advocate Kapil Sibal informed a bench comprising Justices Sanjeev Khanna and Deepankar Datta that the High Court had reserved its decision on February 28, but has yet to deliver a judgment.
Soren was arrested on the night of January 31 by the ED following a seven-hour interrogation related to the land scam allegations. Following his arrest, Jharkhand’s Transport Minister Champai Soren assumed the role of Chief Minister.
The ED’s investigation focuses on alleged manipulation of original land documents, fraud, forgery, and illegal earnings through the purchase and sale of land categorized under the CNT Act, which restricts certain transactions. These allegations suggest that substantial illegal profits were generated through these illicit activities.
