Former Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren has escalated his legal battle to the Supreme Court, challenging his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate after initially approaching the Jharkhand High Court. The Ranchi special court, handling charges related to an alleged Rs 600 crore land scam, postponed its final ruling, citing the Supreme Court’s acknowledgment of a petition filed by the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha leader. The Enforcement Directorate is seeking a 10-day custody, with a decisive decision expected on Friday afternoon. Soren, accused in the money laundering case, moved the Supreme Court hours before appearing in the special court, condemning the agency for alleged abuse of power.
He called his arrest “illegal and without jurisdiction,” initiating legal action under the SC/ST Act. The Chief Justice DY Chandrachud-led bench will hear Soren’s plea at 2 pm on Friday. Visuals showed a composed Soren entering the Ranchi courtroom with confidence.
Meanwhile, anticipated Chief Minister successor Champai Soren is set to meet Jharkhand Governor CP Radhakrishnan, emphasizing majority support and the need for a functional government. Champai Soren, the Transport Minister, emerges as an acceptable alternative, amid concerns within the party about the lack of legislative experience for Hemant Soren’s initial plan to make his wife, Kalpana Soren, the Chief Minister. The week’s dramatic events leading to Hemant Soren’s arrest included his temporary disappearance and subsequent questioning by the Enforcement Directorate for over seven hours, setting the stage for ongoing legal proceedings with the Supreme Court as the new battleground for the former Chief Minister’s defense.
Governor Meets Champai Soren, “No Government In Jharkhand For 18 Hours”
Champai Soren Takes Over as Leader of the JMM Legislative Party During the Vacuum in the Jharkhand Government.
Ranchi: After Jharkhand went for 18 hours without a government, Chief Minister-in-waiting Champai Soren went to Governor CP Radhakrishnan and said that a government needed to be formed immediately. Following Hemant Soren’s resignation and arrest by the Enforcement Directorate, Soren was selected as the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) legislative party leader.
Also read: https://desisamachaar.com/jharkhand-politics-champai-soren-was-elected/?amp=1
He then gave the governor a letter of support signed by 47 MLAs. Champai Soren accused the Enforcement Directorate of abusing its authority to overthrow the elected government in a letter, emphasizing the urgency of taking immediate action to put a stop to the uncertainty. The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear Hemant Soren’s investigation into the alleged mafia-led land ownership scheme.”
Hemant Soren refrained from signing the arrest memo till he resigned.
“In a significant turn of events in Jharkhand politics, Hemant Soren has been arrested in a money laundering case following his resignation as the chief minister. Enforcement Directorate officials revealed that Mr. Soren declined to sign his arrest memo until he resigned, leading to his formal arrest after submitting his resignation to Governor CP Radhakrishnan. The ED’s action came after a six-hour questioning session at his residence in connection with a ₹600-crore land scam.
Contrary to expectations, Champai Soren, a senior JMM leader and outgoing transport minister, is set to replace him, not his wife Kalpana Soren. The arrest followed a search operation at Mr. Soren’s Delhi residence, where ₹36 lakh in cash and a BMW car were seized, prompting his case against ED officers under the SC/ST Act, alleging harassment and misinformation.”
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