‘Go to High Court’: Supreme Court refuses to hear Hemant Soren’s plea against arrest
The Supreme Court on Friday refused to hear a petition filed by former Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren challenging his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in a land fraud case.
A special bench comprising Justices Sanjiv Khanna, MM Sundresh and Bela M Trivedi asked the 48-year-old Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) leader to approach the Jharkhand High Court.
“Courts are for everyone. High courts are constitutional courts. If we permit one person, then we have to permit everyone,” the top court observed.
Hemant Soren had approached the Supreme Court seeking the cancellation of summonses issued by the probe agency and declaring the arrest as illegal.
Sibal, during the hearing, said the Supreme Court had discretionary powers. “This is a case where that discretion has to be exercised.”
In response, Justice Khanna said, “It is apparent that he has been arrested and you are seeking amendment. So, move the High Court.”
The bench cited an earlier order in September last year, which asked Soren to approach the Jharkhand High Court over the ED’s summonses in a money laundering case linked to the land fraud case.
On Wednesday, Hemant Soren, who is also the JMM executive president, was arrested by the ED after being questioned for more than seven hours in the land fraud case. He was arrested after resigning as the Jharkhand Chief Minister.
Before his arrest, Hemant Soren had nominated JMM leader Champai Soren, who was elected as the party’s legislative party leader.
Champai Soren will take oath as the new Jharkhand Chief Minister, months ahead of the Lok Sabha election and the state assembly polls, both of which are slated to be held later this year.
Champai Soren has been given 10 days to prove his government’s majority, said state Congress chief Rajesh Thakur whose party is a constituent of the JMM-led alliance. The Lalu Yadav-led Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) is another constituent of the alliance.
