Today(on 28th May),The Jharkhand High Court issued a directive instructing the Enforcement Directorate to provide a response to Hemant Soren’s bail application, filed subsequent to his arrest in connection with a money laundering case associated with an alleged land scam.
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RANCHI: Today(on 28th May), The Jharkhand High Court has directed the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to provide a response to the bail application submitted by former chief minister Hemant Soren. This decision comes after Soren, who had been arrested by the Enforcement Directorate on 31 January in connection with a money-laundering case associated with an alleged land scam, moved a petition before the high court seeking an expedited hearing.
Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, representing Soren before Justice Rongon Mukhopadhyay’s bench, contended that the JMM leader fell victim to a political conspiracy. Recognizing the seriousness of the issue, the court directed the ED to submit a response and set the next hearing for June 10.
In his plea, Soren emphasized that his name did not appear in any documents related to the 8.5 acres of land in the Bargain circle. He vehemently denied any involvement in offenses under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act and criticized the ED for relying solely on verbal statements without substantial documentary evidence.
Prior to his arrest, Soren had resigned from his position as chief minister and is currently incarcerated in the Birsa Munda Jail in Ranchi. The allegations against him stem from accusations of tampering with land documents for a plot in Bargain, Ranchi. Soren asserted that the land in question belonged to Raj Kumar Pahan and that there was no mention of his name in Pahan’s complaint to the Bargain Circle officer.
Despite his efforts to seek relief, Soren faced disappointment on 22 May when the Supreme Court refused to intervene, citing his failure to disclose crucial information. Justices Dipankar Datta and Satish Chandra Sharma admonished Soren for not presenting all relevant facts and pointed out discrepancies in his filings, including the omission of the special PMLA court’s order and the timing of his regular bail petition.
Despite facing setbacks, Hemant Soren remained resolute in his quest for legal redress. On Monday, he filed a bail petition with the high court, reiterating his plea for release.
ALSO READ: [BREAKING] Hemant Soren’s Bail Plea Adjourned by SC to May 21
Hemant Soren, former chief minister, has pleaded before the court, asserting his innocence in the controversial land scam case. Soren emphasized that there is no mention of his name in any of the documents related to the 8.5-acre land parcel in the Bargain circle.
He adamantly stated-
“I am not implicated in any offence under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.”
Soren’s defense rests on the absence of substantial evidence linking him to the alleged wrongdoing. He argued that the Enforcement Directorate (ED) solely relies on the statements of individuals claiming his ownership of the land, without any supporting documentation.
According to Soren-
“There is a lack of documentation substantiating such assertions.”
The accusations against Soren stem from his alleged involvement in tampering with land documents concerning a plot in Bargain, Ranchi. However, he refuted these claims by asserting that the land’s rightful owner is Raj Kumar Pahan. Soren highlighted that Pahan had filed a complaint with the Bargain Circle officer regarding encroachment on his land by unidentified individuals. Importantly, Pahan’s complaint did not implicate Soren, yet the ED proceeded to build a case against him.
Despite his efforts to clear his name, Soren faced setbacks in the legal battle. The Supreme Court, on May 22, declined to grant him relief in the ongoing case.
The apex court criticized Soren for “suppressing material facts” in his plea against arrest in the money laundering case associated with the alleged land scam.
During the hearing, Soren’s counsel, Kapil Sibal, sought interim bail for his client to campaign for the Lok Sabha polls. However, the court, comprising justices Dipankar Datta and Satish Chandra Sharma, expressed dissatisfaction with Soren’s approach. They allowed Sibal to withdraw the pleas after indicating their inclination to dismiss them due to Soren’s failure to approach the court transparently.
The court emphasized multiple occasions where Soren failed to include essential information in his presentations. Particularly noteworthy was his failure to disclose the special PMLA court’s ruling on April 4, which recognized the prosecution’s complaint. Additionally, Soren’s standard bail request, submitted on April 15, was rejected on May 13, exacerbating doubts about his credibility.
ALSO READ: Hemant Soren’s Bail Plea Rejected in Special PMLA Court| Money Laundering Case
