JMM leader Hemant Soren files bail petition in Jharkhand High Court

Mr. Soren had withdrawn his petition before the Supreme Court seeking interim bail and quashing of arrest in the case on May 22; the date of hearing in this case has not been fixed yet

Former Jharkhand Chief Minister and JMM leader Hemant Soren. | Photo Credit: ANI

Former Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren, who has been arrested by the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) in an alleged land scam case, filed a bail petition in Jharkhand High Court on May 27.

Mr. Soren had withdrawn his petition before the Supreme Court seeking interim bail and quashing of arrest in the case on May 22.

A bench of Justices Dipankar Datta and Satish Chandra Sharma had flagged that Mr. Soren had hidden the fact that a Jharkhand trial court had taken cognisance of the case against him way back on April 4.

Ranchi Special PMLA (Prevention of Money Laundering Act) court had rejected the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha leader’s bail petition in this case on May 13.

In the fresh bail petition filed by Mr. Soren before the High Court, it is stated that the ED does not have a single document related to the 8.5 acres of land on which it has taken action against him alleging land-grabbing. It also stated that land under Jharkhand’s CNT (Chota Nagpur Tenancy) Act cannot be transferred to anyone in any circumstances.

The date of hearing in this case has not been fixed yet.