Ranchi, February 3: The Jharkhand High Court has scheduled the hearing for the petition filed by former Chief Minister Hemant Soren on February 5. Soren had challenged his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate in an alleged land scam case.Earlier, Hemant Soren was sent to five-day custody of the Enforcement Directorate by the High Court on Friday in connection with an alleged land scam case.
The JMM chief was arrested by the ED after several summons were issued to him in the alleged land scam case and several hours of questioning on Wednesday night. Meanwhile, amidst the political unrest in Jharkhand, Champai Soren took oath as the Chief Minister of Jharkhand on Friday at the Raj Bhavan in Ranchi. The former CM on Friday moved the Supreme Court against his arrest, but the court refused to entertain his plea, challenging his arrest by the ED in the land deal case and asking him to approach the concerned High Court with his petition.
"We are not inclined to entertain the present petition," adding that it left open to the petitioner to approach the jurisdictional HC.The top court also said that it is open for the petitioner to urge the high court to expeditiously decide the case, the court stated.Soren challenged the ED's summons dated January 22, 2024, and January 25, 2024, purportedly issued under Section 50 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002, as illegal, null, and void, and accordingly quash the impugned summons and all steps taken and proceedings emanating therefrom.
The JMM chief claimed that he has been facing constant harassment at the hands of the ED, alleging that the probe agency was misusing its authority and powers at the bidding of its political masters. The probe pertains to proceeds of crime generated by allegedly forging official records by showing 'fake sellers' and purchasers in the guise of forged or bogus documents to acquire huge parcels of land having value in crores.