A Jharkhand court Today (April 27th) rejected a provisional bail application of jailed former chief minister Hemant Soren, who moved the court citing the death of his uncle earlier in the day.
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Ranchi: A court in Jharkhand today dismissed a provisional bail plea submitted by the incarcerated former chief minister, Hemant Soren. The plea was made following the death of his uncle earlier that day. Soren had sought a 13-day provisional bail to attend the funeral and last rites of his uncle, Raja Ram Soren, who died earlier that morning, according to a statement by his lawyer.
Soren’s lawyer, Pradeep Chandra, conveyed the court’s decision, stating-
“An interim bail petition was filed but the court denied bail.”
This is not Soren’s first attempt to secure release; he has previously filed petitions in the same vein, with a hearing scheduled for May 1. He has also approached the Supreme Court with a special leave petition challenging his arrest, which is set to be heard on April 29.
Soren has been detained since January 31 after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) apprehended him in connection with a money laundering case. The case involves the acquisition of 8.86 acres of tribal land in Bariatu. The ED has since lodged a prosecution complaint against him in the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court, which has taken cognizance of the allegations.
RECENTLY ON HEMANT SOREN CASE
Former Jharkhand Chief Minister and leader of Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), Hemant Soren, has petitioned the Supreme Court for relief concerning his ongoing incarceration due to a money laundering investigation. His plea accentuates the Jharkhand High Court‘s procrastination in issuing a ruling on his appeal against the arrest.
Representing Soren, Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal presented the case before Justice Sanjiv Khanna, expressing concern over the High Court’s delay in judgment despite the hearings on February 27 and 28.
Sibal articulated the urgency of the matter, pointing out the potential prolongation of Soren’s jail time coinciding with the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. He stated,
“We had moved an Article 32 plea in Hemant Soren matter. We had (later) approached High Court and the matter was heard on Feb 27-28 and judgment is not delivered yet. The man will be inside and elections will be over. If we say something more then it will be like we are attacking judiciary.”
Justice Khanna responded that the decision to schedule the case would be at the discretion of the Chief Justice of India (CJI), advising Sibal,
“The Chief Justice secretariat will take a call. Please inform once.”
In response to the discussion, Sibal remarked,
“This is very sad.”
To which Justice Khanna countered,
“You are (already) pronouncing the order.”
Soren relinquished his role as Chief Minister on January 31, following his apprehension by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) over accusations related to the illicit transfer of land ownership facilitated by criminal entities in Jharkhand.
On June 23, 2016, the ED lodged a prosecution complaint under Section 45 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) against Soren, another individual named Ranjan, nine additional people, and three corporations.
While those accused remain detained, Soren has repudiated the charges of money laundering. In a video broadcast shortly before his detention, he asserted his innocence, claiming, “fake papers” were being used to fabricate a plot against him.
Following his arrest, Soren initially sought redress from the Supreme Court under Article 32. However, the apex court declined to intervene at that stage, directing him to first take his grievances to the High Court, which subsequently took up the case but has yet to declare its verdict.
Click Here to Read Previous Reports on Hemant Soren
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