Relief for Hemant Soren as SC junks ED's appeal against HC's order granting him bail

The Supreme Court on July 29 dismissed Enforcement Directorate's plea against the order of Jharkhand High Court granting bail to JMM leader and Chief Minister Hemant Soren in a money laundering case linked to an alleged land scam.

A bench of justices Gavai and Viswanathan held that the HC's order was 'very well reasoned' however, the top court directed the trial court to decide the case without being influenced by the order of the high court.

The high court had on June 28 granted bail to Soren, who on July 4 took oath as the chief minister of Jharkhand. Soren, the executive president of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), had resigned as chief minister shortly before his arrest on January 31 by the ED in the case.

Earlier during the hearing in the high court, ED’s counsel had argued that if Soren was released on bail, he might commit a similar offence and referred to cases against ED officers in the SC/ST police station. ”Though the conduct of the petitioner has been sought to be highlighted by the Enforcement Directorate on account of the First Information Report instituted by the petitioner against the officials of the ED, but on an overall conspectus of the case, there is no likelihood of the petitioner committing a similar nature of offence,” the high court had said.