Jharkhand High Court Grants Bail To Former CM Hemant Soren In Land Scam Case

On Friday, the Jharkhand High Court granted bail to former Chief Minister Hemant Soren in connection with a land scam case.

The decision comes after Justice Rongon Mukhopadhyay reserved the decision on Soren’s bail plea on 13 June.

Since his arrest on 31 January, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has held Soren at Birsa Munda Central Jail in Ranchi on charges related to money laundering linked to the land scam.

During the hearing, Soren’s legal representatives, Kapil Sibal, and Meenakshi Arora, argued that the land under scrutiny fell under the provisions of the Chotanagpur Tenancy Act, known locally as “bhuinhari,” which prohibits its sale or transfer.

They emphasized that Soren had no personal connection to the disputed land and challenged the ED’s evidence linking him to the alleged scam.

In contrast, Assistant Solicitor General S V Raju, representing the ED, countered these claims by asserting that there was substantial evidence indicating Soren’s unlawful possession of 8.86 acres of land in Bariatu, with purported plans to develop a banquet hall on the property.

Raju further alleged that Soren, leveraging his former position as Chief Minister, might attempt to obstruct the ongoing investigation if released on bail.

Despite these arguments, the Jharkhand High Court ultimately ruled in favor of granting bail to Hemant Soren.

This decision marks a pivotal moment in the case, offering relief to the former Chief Minister after enduring over five months of judicial custody.

The bail order has been met with mixed reactions, with supporters of Soren welcoming the decision as a step towards justice, while critics express concerns over potential implications for the ongoing investigation.

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