No relief to Soren: SC Rejects Hemant Soren’s Interim Bail Plea

The Supreme Court rejected former Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren’s plea, citing his failure to disclose crucial facts in his petition. These included the trial court’s acknowledgment of the chargesheet and the pending bail plea in a special court.

Following this decision, Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal, representing Soren, withdrew the petition seeking interim bail. During this, Sibal urged the court to consider the timeline of Soren’s bail application before the High Court, which took a month to decide.

The Supreme Court expressed difficulty in regulating high court operations and commented on media perceptions about judges’ working hours.

Moreover, the court criticized Soren for pursuing parallel legal actions by applying for bail in both the trial court and the Supreme Court without disclosing all relevant details.

The court also questioned why Soren did not disclose that the special court had taken cognizance of the chargesheet and a bail plea had been filed. It described Soren’s conduct as blameworthy for withholding these critical details.

Senior Advocate Sibal defended Soren, stating that Soren, currently in custody, was not in direct communication. Sibal argued that Soren was not at fault.

Soren had challenged his arrest in a money laundering case before the Jharkhand High Court, which rejected his plea on May 3. His plea argued that his arrest was unjustified and his detention was arbitrary and illegal. Meanwhile, he sought interim bail during this period.

Former Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren, also the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) Chairperson, was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in January in connection with a land scam investigation. The probe centers on allegations of significant illicit gains made through fraudulent means in acquiring valuable land.