In a recent session of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court, the bail application of former Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren was discussed, with the Enforcement Directorate (ED) being granted an additional week to furnish their response. Soren was arrested on January 31 by the ED under charges of money laundering connected to a land scam.
Currently held in judicial custody at Ranchi’s Birsa Munda Jail, Soren’s legal team, led by senior advocates Kapil Sibal and Arunabha Chaudhary, argued virtually that the delay in granting bail seems strategically aimed at preventing him from participating in the upcoming election campaigns. As the president of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, part of the IND coalition, Soren’s presence is deemed crucial for the party’s efforts in the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections.
The application further claimed that the central government would succeed in its alleged strategy to sideline him during this critical period if he is not released immediately to partake in the election campaign.
