Supreme Court stays ED's criminal proceedings against Hemant Soren
What's the story
The Supreme Court has stayed the criminal proceedings initiated by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) against Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren. The case pertains to alleged willful disobedience of summons under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). A bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi issued notice to the ED on Soren's plea seeking quashing of the case. Soren had moved the apex court after the Jharkhand High Court rejected his plea to stay the criminal proceedings.
Legal challenge
Soren had challenged HC order
The high court had refused to intervene in a complaint case filed by the ED after the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Ranchi, took cognizance of it. The ED's complaint was based on Soren's alleged non-appearance despite repeated summonses in connection with a land scam investigation. The ED had alleged that Soren willfully disobeyed summons under Section 50(4) of the PMLA, which was punishable under Section 63 of the PMLA read with Section 174 of IPC.
Case details
Soren appeared thrice, says counsel
However, senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, representing Soren, contended that his client appeared thrice before being arrested on January 31, 2024. After staying the High Court's order, Chief Justice Kant advised the ED to concentrate on other complaints for constructive outcomes. He said, "Yesterday we were reading in newspaper, you (ED) have filed bulk complaints. Concentrate and spend your energy on those complaints."
Case
Soren was arrested in 2024
The ED had filed a case against Soren's associate, from whom documents relating to 8.86 acres of land, allegedly belonging to the CM, were recovered. A PMLA complaint was filed, and during the inquiry, Soren was summoned to personally attend and give statements about the land. However, he did not appear. He was arrested on January 31, 2024. The high court granted him bail that June.