Former Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren sent to one-day judicial custody

RANCHI: A Ranchi-based PMLA court sent former Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren to one-day judicial custody in a money laundering case linked to an alleged land scam.

The ED arrested Soren at 8.30 p.m. on Wednesday after interrogating him for about eight hours. He was later taken to the ED office on Airport Road Ranchi. He spent the whole night in the office guest house.

Soren was brought to the special PMLA court at around 3.30 p.m. on Thursday.

In the court, ED sought Soren's remand for 10 days. Lawyers from both the sides argued. ED lawyers said that for further investigation in the Ranchi land scam, it is necessary to interrogate Soren on many points.

On the other hand, Soren's lawyers opposed the ED's demand for remand and said that a Special Leave Petition (SLP) has been filed in the Supreme Court challenging the ED's action, which is to be heard on Friday.

After hearing both the parties, the court reserved the decision for Friday and ordered to send him to judicial custody till then.

Following the court order, he has been taken to Birsa Munda Central Jail, Ranchi. Preparations are being made to keep him in the upper division cell in this jail.

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court on Thursday agreed to urgently list the plea filed by Soren, challenging his arrest by the ED.

A Bench presided over by Chief Justice of India (CJI), DY Chandrachud, agreed to list the matter for hearing on Friday after a mention was made on Soren’s behalf by senior advocate Kapil Sibal.

Seeking an urgent hearing, Sibal questioned the manner in which the ED sleuths arrested the sitting Chief Minister of a state.

“This affects the polity of the country. How can a man be arrested like this,” he said.

“We will keep it for tomorrow,” CJI Chandrachud responded.