In a significant development ahead of the elections, the Jharkhand High Court did not grant immediate relief to former Chief Minister and Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) leader Hemant Soren. The court has asked the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to respond to Soren’s bail plea and scheduled the next hearing for June 10.
Soren, arrested by the ED on January 31 in connection with a land scam and money laundering case, had requested an expedited hearing through his petition filed on Monday. Representing Soren, senior advocate Kapil Sibal argued before Justice Rongon Mukhopadhyay that Soren is a victim of a political conspiracy.
Soren defended himself in court, stating that there is no mention of his name in any documents related to an 8.5-acre plot in the Bargain area, and he has not committed any offense under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). He also claimed that the ED is relying solely on statements from individuals claiming ownership of the land, without any supporting documents.
Previously, on May 22, Soren faced a setback from the Supreme Court, which rejected his plea for interim release for the elections and challenged his arrest. The Supreme Court noted that the lower court had already taken cognizance of the case, and a regular bail plea was dismissed, leaving no ground for hearing the challenge against the arrest.
With the High Court’s decision to defer the hearing, it is clear that Hemant Soren will not receive the relief he hoped for before the upcoming elections. The final phase of voting for three remaining Lok Sabha seats in the state is scheduled for June 1.
