The Supreme Court today disposed of former Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren plea challenging his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) as infructuous in view of the Jharkhand High Court’s dismissal of his petition seeking the same relief. Hemant Soren had lodged the present petition aggrieved by the delay of the High Court in pronouncing the judgment despite concluding the arguments on February 29.
After the apex court issued notice on the former Chief Minister’s petition on April 29, the Jharkhand High Court delivered the judgment on May 3, dismissing his challenge to the investigation agency’s arrest. Subsequently, Hemant Soren filed a fresh Special Leave Petition (SLP) challenging the High Court’s judgment.
During the hearing today, the bench of Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Datta stated that the petition has become infructuous since the High Court has delivered the verdict. The bench further mentioned that Soren would be at liberty to raise all contentions in the second petition, which is coming up next week. The court also clarified all pleas and contentions can be raised in the SLP filed challenging the High Court order of May 3, 2024.
Appearing for former CM Hemant Soren, Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal requested the bench to not treat the petition as infructuous, stating that the ED will seek further time for its response in the new petition, causing additional delay. Nonetheless, the bench said that all the arguments can be considered the new petition.
Hemant Soren had resigned from the post of Chief Minister on January 31 this year. He was arrested in the land scam case on allegations of being the primary beneficiary of the fraudulently acquired land.
Previously, the Jharkhand High Court had dismissed the former Chief Minister’s plea challenging his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate in the land scam case. A bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Shree Chandrashekhar and Justice Navneet Kumar dismissed his plea 4 days after the Supreme Court, posting Soren’s plea against ED arrest in the week commencing from May 6, mentioned that it would be open to the High Court to pronounce the judgment in the matter.