(Image source from: ANI)
The High Court has granted bail to the former Chief Minister of Jharkhand, Hemant Soren. Soren's lawyer, Arunabh Chowdhury, told the news agency PTI that the court found no prima facie evidence of Soren's guilt, and there is no likelihood of him committing an offence while on bail. With no other pending cases against him, Soren is expected to be released soon. The court has set the bail amount at two sureties of Rs 50,000 each. Soren, the leader of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha party, was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate on January 31 on charges of money laundering. The ED has accused him of manipulating records, engaging in fictitious transactions, and forging documents to acquire 8.86 acres of land in Ranchi worth crores. Soren has consistently denied the allegations and has accused the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party of orchestrating his arrest, which occurred just weeks before the Lok Sabha elections, in an effort to disrupt the opposition. This bail order comes after previous setbacks, including the Ranchi special court's denial of Soren's bail request and the High Court's rejection of his plea to quash his arrest.
The legal saga surrounding Mr. Soren deepened as the Supreme Court denied his request for interim bail, citing his inability to "escape the consequences of his own actions." The court firmly rebuffed his claim that he needed time off to campaign, a privilege his Delhi counterpart Arvind Kejriwal had secured. The focus shifted to Mr. Soren's failure to disclose crucial information, including the special court's cognizance of the complaint against him. The Enforcement Directorate argued that he had attempted to obstruct the investigation by "misusing state resources," effectively undermining his "special plea" for bail to participate in the Lok Sabha elections. Adding to the complexity, there was also confusion surrounding a previous bail application that had been dismissed by the High Court.
The former Chief Minister filed a bail application, citing the High Court's delay in delivering its verdict. The Supreme Court had previously granted Mr. Kejriwal bail, allowing him to campaign for his political party. Meanwhile, Hemant Soren stepped down as Chief Minister on January 31, shortly after the Enforcement Directorate initiated an extensive interrogation session, informing him of his impending arrest. However, Mr. Soren declined to acknowledge the arrest notice.
