Hemant Soren Moves SC Challenging His Arrest In Money Laundering Case

Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren, who was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Wednesday, moved Supreme Court challenging his arrest in money laundering case.

Hemant Soren was apprehended by the Enforcement Directorate at Ranchi on Wednesday moments after he demitted the office of Jharkhand chief minister. The 48-year-old politician was subsequently transported to the probe agency's office in connection with its investigation into an alleged land scam in the state.

This incident unfolded merely 48 hours after the federal agency meticulously planned an operation to apprehend the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) leader in Delhi. Despite deploying teams at his Delhi residence and the national capital's airport, he successfully eluded capture and traveled by road to reach Ranchi on Tuesday.

An Enforcement Directorate officer informed, "We have evidence that Hemant Soren had acquired a parcel of land under investigation in Jharkhand, which was unlawfully obtained by others through falsified documents."

The arrest of Kolkata-based businessman Amit Kumar Agarwal, detained by the probe agency on June 7 last year, played a pivotal role in Hemant Soren's apprehension. Agarwal is suspected to be handling illicit funds involving various politicians, including the then chief minister of Jharkhand, as alleged in a PIL filed in the Jharkhand High Court in 2021 by lawyer Rajeev Kumar.

Despite evading ED questioning on at least seven occasions since August last year, Hemant Soren eventually consented to interrogation on January 20 at his Ranchi residence. Subsequently, the agency summoned him to appear on January 29 or 31. On Wednesday, the ED team reached his official residence in the state's capital, questioning him for nearly seven hours before formally arresting him at the ED's Ranchi office, coinciding with the JMM leader's resignation submitted to the governor.

Officials have stated that he will be presented before a court on Thursday, during which the agency will elucidate the specific charges against him.