SC stays proceedings before Jharkhand High Court against CM Hemant Soren

New Delhi, Aug 17: The Supreme Court on Wednesday stayed proceeding before the Jharkhand High Court against the State's Chief Minister Hemant Soren for alleged money laundering via shell companies.

The order was passed as the top court reserved orders on separate appeals filed by the Jharkhand government and Soren challenging the June 3 order of the high court admitting the PILs filed by one Shiv Shankar Sharma demanding probe against the chief minister and his family for grant of mining leases, alleged money laundering by shell companies linked to him and MNREGA contracts of 2010.

A bench of Justices UU Lalit, SR Bhat, and Sudhanshu Dhulia heard the arguments of the counsels for the parties.

"Heard counsels for the parties. Order reserved. Since the court is seized of the matter, the high court shall not proceed with the matter," the bench said.

The plea before the Jharkhand High Court had sought a probe into alleged irregularities in the grant of mining leases and also into the transactions of some shell companies allegedly operated by the chief minister's family members and associates.

The high court had accepted the maintainability of the PIL seeking a probe against the chief minister.

Three PILs have been filed before the Jharkhand HC seeking a probe by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into the allegations of misuse of office, corruption, and money laundering against the Chief Minister and his associates. Meanwhile, CM Hemant Soren has rejected the allegations.