Citing its order in the money laundering case involving Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, his former Jharkhand counterpart Hemant Soren on Monday sought from the Supreme Court interim bail to campaign in the Lok Sabha elections.
Soren was arrested on January 31 in a money laundering case linked to an alleged land scam after he resigned as the Jharkhand chief minister.
A bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Datta agreed to hear Soren’s plea against his arrest and sought a response from the Enforcement Directorate by May 17. Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for Soren, said, “My case is covered by Arvind Kejriwal’s order. I need interim bail for campaigning.” The bench said it cannot grant interim bail to the JMM leader without hearing the Enforcement Directorate.
The top court, which was initially inclined to list the matter for May 20, fixed it for May 17 after Sibal and senior advocate Arunabh Chowdhury, also appearing for Soren, submitted “election will be over by then and he will be prejudiced if a long date is given in the matter.” The bench said there was too much work this week as a lot of matters were listed before it.
“Then dismiss this petition. Why should I be prejudiced? Elections will be over in the state,” Sibal said.
The bench told Sibal the matter can either be listed after the summer vacation of the court or during the vacation.
Justice Khanna said , “I can’t help it. May 20, this is the shortest date available. We never give one week’s time.” The bench initially expressed unwillingness to advance the date, but as Sibal persisted with the request, it agreed to list it for May 17.
“We don’t know whether we will be able to take up the matter but still we are posting it for May 17,” the bench said.
Sibal said he would take a chance.
At the outset, the bench asked Sibal whether Soren is in possession of an 8.86 acre plot which he was accused of acquiring illegally.
“One Raj Kumar Pahan is in possession of that land but I have nothing to do with it,” Sibal responded.
Soren has challenged the May 3 order of the Jharkhand High Court dismissing his petition against his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED). He has also sought interim bail for campaigning in the Lok Sabha elections till the court delivers its verdict on his plea against his arrest.
In his appeal filed through advocate Praghya Baghel, Soren said the high court had erred in dismissing his plea on May 3.
Soren is at present lodged in judicial custody at the Birsa Munda Central Jail in Ranchi.
The ED has alleged that “huge amounts of proceeds of crime” were generated by Soren through manipulation of official records by showing dummy sellers and purchasers in the guise of forged/bogus documents to acquire huge parcels of land having value in crores of rupees.
The probe against Soren pertains to an 8.86-acre plot of land in Ranchi that the ED has alleged was illegally acquired by him.
The top court granted Kejriwal interim bail on May 10 in a money laundering case linked to the alleged Delhi excise scam to enable him to campaign in the Lok Sabha elections but barred him from visiting his office or the Delhi secretariat, and signing official files unless absolutely necessary for obtaining the lieutenant governor’s approval.
Polling is underway in four Lok Sabha seats in Jharkhand–Khunti, Singhbhum, Lohardaga, and Palamu–today. It will be held in the remaining 10 Lok Sabha seats in the next three phases on May 20, 25, and June 1.
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