NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Monday issued notice to the Enforcement Directorate on a plea by former Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren for interim bail in a money laundering case in connection with a land scam.
A bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Datta sought a response to the ED and fixed the matter for consideration after May 7.
Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for Soren, contended the charge sheet was only related to offences of cheating and forgery.
There is no money laundering or any allegation against the petitioner, the counsel claimed.
The bench, however, said that the accusations in the case also mentioned proceeds of crime in relation to over several acres of land.
Sibal said the Jharkhand High Court has not decided his petition.
The High Court had reserved order on February 28 on his writ petition challenging his arrest by ED on January 31.
The court agreed to examine the matter.
It, however, clarified that the Jharkhand high court was free to deliver its judgment in Soren’s petition in the meantime.
On April 24, Sibal had mentioned the matter before this bench, pleading to hear Soren’s case immediately in view of the ongoing Lok Sabha elections.
Soren contended he has been in jail and the Lok Sabha polls would be over.
On February 2, 2024, the Supreme Court had refused to entertain a plea by Soren against his arrest.
His plea had said ED officers have abused their powers for extraneous considerations under the dictates of the central government as the petitioner is the leader of Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, a prominent opposition party and an active constituent of the INDIA alliance.
Following his arrest, Soren was taken to Governor's House where he tendered his resignation as Chief Minister of the state.
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