ED Challenges Bail Granted to Hemant Soren in Supreme Court Over Jharkhand Land Scam

The Enforcement Directorate has approached the Supreme Court against the Jharkhand High Court's decision to grant bail to Hemant Soren, former Chief Minister of Jharkhand, in a money laundering case related to a land scam. Soren had regained his position as Chief Minister after his release from jail.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has moved the Supreme Court challenging the Jharkhand High Court's order granting bail to Hemant Soren in a money laundering matter related to the land scam case. Previously, the High Court had approved bail for the former Chief Minister and Jharkhand Mukti Morcha Chief.

Soren was arrested by the ED in January on allegations of participating in an extensive forgery operation to illicitly procure significant land holdings, generating substantial proceeds through falsified official records and transactions.

Following his arrest under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, Soren resigned as Chief Minister. After winning a floor test in the state assembly with the support of 45 MLAs, he was reappointed as Jharkhand's Chief Minister for a third term on July 4.

Soren was released from Birsa Munda Jail on June 28 after nearly five months in detention. His release came through a bail grant from the Jharkhand High Court, prompting Champai Soren, who had taken over as Chief Minister, to resign, enabling Hemant Soren to resume office.

Champai Soren had initially assumed the Chief Minister role on February 2 but stepped down after Hemant Soren's release. In a video message, Hemant Soren accused the BJP of fabricating charges against him, asserting that the public support remains with him and his party.

In the 2019 Jharkhand Assembly Elections, Hemant Soren's party secured a mandate from the populace, with Soren serving as a key figure. His return is seen as a reinforcement of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, which has successfully garnered substantial support in the Lok Sabha elections and maintains a strong alliance with the Congress and Rashtriya Janta Dal.

(With inputs from agencies.)