Supreme Court upholds bail to Hemant Soren in ED case

The Supreme Court on Monday upheld the bail granted by Jharkhand High Court to Chief Minister and Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) leader Hemant Soren in the money laundering case initiated against him by the Enforcement Directorate [Directorate of Enforcement vs Hemant Soren]..A Bench of Justices BR Gavai and KV Viswanathan said that the order passed by the High Court was a well reasoned one and any observation by the Supreme Court could in fact adversely affect the Enforcement Directorate (ED)."If we observe anything it may affect you. Learned judge (of High Court) has given a very well reasoned order," Justice Gavai remarked. "Detailed statements indicate his role," Additional Solicitor General SV Raju submitted on behalf of ED. "On the contrary statement of Bhanu Pratap shows he (Soren) had no role," the Bench responded.The Court, therefore, proceeded to dismiss the appeal. It, however, clarified that its dismissal will not influence the trial. "We are not inclined to interfere with the impugned order. However, we clarify that the aforesaid observations will not influence the trial judge," the Court said in its order..The Bench was hearing a plea by the ED against the Jharkhand High Court order.The case relates to “illegal change of ownership of land by the mafia” in the State.Soren has been accused of illegally acquiring 8.5 acres of land in the Baragain Circle, Ranchi and of being involved in a scheme to launder the proceeds of the crime while projecting the property as "untainted".However, the High Court had granted him bail on June 28 after concluding that there was “reason to believe” that he was not guilty of the alleged offence of money laundering linked to the alleged land scam. Single-judge Justice Rongon Mukhopadhyay of High Court ruled that the claim by ED that its timely action prevented Soren and others accused from illegally acquiring land, seemed vague since other witnesses alleged that land in question had already been acquired by Soren.Pertinently, the Court stated that none of the registers or revenue records bore any evidence of Soren's direct involvement in the acquisition and possession of the said land.Further, nobody who was aggrieved by such alleged acquisition had approached the police to register any complaint despite the fact that Soren was not in power in Jharkhand during the relevant period, the High Court noted..Soren had stepped down as Chief Minister of Jharkhand on January 31 following his arrest by the ED.JMM leader Champai Soren had then served as Chief Minister while Hemant Soren was in jail.However, after Soren secured bail in the case, he was once again sworn in as Chief Minister on July 4.