Hemant Soren
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) opposed former Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren’s plea for interim bail in a money laundering case related to an alleged land scam. Soren sought bail to campaign in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
In an affidavit filed in the Supreme Court, the ED argued that evidence indicates Soren, a leader of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), was involved in the illegal acquisition and possession of properties, with the proceeds linked to criminal activity. The ED emphasized that the right to campaign in elections is not a fundamental, constitutional, or legal right.
A vacation bench led by Justice Dipankar Dutta is set to hear Soren’s plea on Tuesday. The ED highlighted that statements recorded under Section 50 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) 2002 demonstrate Soren’s secretive illegal acquisition, possession, and use of an 8.86-acre property.
