Hemant Soren moves Jharkhand High Court for bail, urges expedited hearing

Mail News Service

Ranchi, May 27: Hemant Soren, the former Chief Minister of Jharkhand and current working president of Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), has shifted his focus to the Jharkhand High Court in his pursuit of bail. Following the withdrawal of his bail plea from the Supreme Court, Soren has now filed a petition in the Jharkhand High Court on Monday (22 May).

Represented by his legal counsel, Soren lodged the bail petition asserting the purported illegality of his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED). Initially rejected by the lower court, Soren escalated the matter to the Jharkhand High Court, which subsequently reserved its judgment.

Soren’s legal journey took a detour through the Supreme Court, where his plea for bail faced a setback. The apex court, after scrutinizing arguments from both Soren’s and ED’s lawyers, expressed dissatisfaction over the alleged concealment of facts by senior advocate Kapil Sibal, leading to the imminent dismissal of the petition. Sibal, acknowledging the lapse, sought withdrawal of the petition, which was permitted by the court.

The latest development sees Soren renewing his efforts for bail by lodging a petition in the High Court. His arrest by the ED on January 31, 2024, in connection with an alleged land scam case, triggered this legal battle. Notably, Soren’s comparison to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s bail, granted for election campaigning purposes, failed to secure him similar relief.