The SC refused to intervene and Hemant Soren moved the case to the High Court.

Hemant Soren, the former Chief Minister of Jharkhand, faced arrest by the Enforcement Directorate on charges related to a money laundering case. The Supreme Court declined to intervene in the matter and instead advised Soren’s attorneys to file a case with the Jharkhand High Court. In response, the top court highlighted the accessibility of constitutional courts to all individuals.

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During the proceedings, Kapil Sibal, representing Soren, was prompted by the Supreme Court to consider approaching the high court. Sibal emphasized the significance of the case, involving an arrested chief minister. The Supreme Court asserted the principle that everyone has the right to access courts.

Soren’s arrest stemmed from a money laundering investigation related to a land scam case. The Enforcement Directorate, presenting him to a special PMLA court in Ranchi, alleged that Soren had unlawfully acquired 12 adjacent parcels of land, totaling 8.5 acres in Ranchi. These lands were purportedly part of a larger syndicate engaged in property grabbing.

The central agency’s investigation into Soren was initiated following raids in 2023 against Bhanu Pratap Prasad, a sub-inspector in the state’s revenue department, who was allegedly connected to the land mafia. Prasad is accused of orchestrating schemes to illicitly obtain and conceal multiple properties, including those allegedly acquired and possessed by Hemant Soren.

Soren, addressing the Supreme Court, pleaded that his arrest was unjustified, arbitrary, and a violation of his basic rights. Despite the Enforcement Directorate’s request for a 10-day custody under the PMLA, the special court in Ranchi placed the JMM leader under judicial custody for one day. Soren claimed that his arrest was part of a larger conspiracy by the Centre to influence the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

The Enforcement Directorate’s assertion about Soren’s involvement in the land scam adds a layer to the ongoing legal battle, with the Supreme Court directing the legal proceedings to the Jharkhand High Court for further consideration.

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