Hemant Soren, ex-Jharkhand CM, granted bail in suspected money laundering case

On Friday, the Jharkhand High Court approved bail for Hemant Soren, the JMM leader and former CM of Jharkhand, in a suspected land scam case. Justice Rongon Mukhopadhyay’s court granted him standard bail.

On June 13, following the presentations from Mr. Soren’s lawyer and Additional Solicitor General (ASG) S.V. Raju representing the Enforcement Directorate (ED), the court had kept its decision pending.

Who was chosen as the party leader after Hemant Soren was arrested?

Mr. Soren was taken into custody by the ED on January 31, 2024, following more than seven hours of interrogation. Subsequently, he visited Raj Bhavan and stepped down from his position as the State’s leader. After his resignation, Champai Soren was chosen as the JMM legislative party leader, and on February 5, the new Champai Soren administration secured the vote of confidence with 47 MLAs supporting the motion.

The issue pertains to the falsification of land records for 8.86 acres in the Badgai region of Ranchi.

After the bail scenes

Right after being granted bail, Mr. Soren’s attorney finalized the necessary procedures, and at approximately 4 p.m., he exited the Birsa Munda Central Jail. Alongside his wife, Kalpana Murmu Soren, he headed straight to his father, Shibu Soren’s home to seek his blessings.

A lot of his followers had gathered there, holding his picture and chanting slogans in his favour – “Jail Ka Tala Tut Gaya, Hemant Soren Chut Gaya” (The Jail lock is broken and Hemant Soren is released).

Hemant Soren addressed the media

Mr. Soren expressed to the media in Ranchi outside his father’s residence by saying that he has been released from jail after five months. He further expressed that that period must have been concerning for the people of Jharkhand and the tribal community. 

He said that the reasons for his imprisonment are widely known across the nation and despite that, the court has now delivered its verdict. He added that while he holds the court in high regard, he finds it troubling how there are systematic efforts to silence the voices of politicians, writers, journalists, and social workers.

Mr. Hemant Soren stated that he was imprisoned based on untrue and fabricated narratives.

He said that numerous individuals, including himself, are incarcerated. He said that even the Chief Minister of Delhi is behind bars, and the quest for justice is prolonged. He is of the opinion that those who diligently work in their respective domains are facing difficulties. 

Mr. Soren gave hope to his followers

He gave hope to his followers that he would continue to advocate for the rights of the people and the tribal communities. Mr. Soren conveyed that his release serves as a message not only to the State but to the entire nation that a plot was devised against him.

Before, in the bail plea hearing, Mr. Soren’s attorney Kapil Sibal mentioned that the case is of a civil nature. The land was identified as Bhuinhari (non-saleable under the Chota Nagpur Tenancy Act (CNT Act) and hence cannot be transferred, indicating the absence of money laundering in the case.

In its argument, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) stated that Mr. Hemant Soren had enlisted the assistance of officials to acquire ownership of the land.

In the court order, as reported by The Hindu, it states that the general overview of the case, considering the broader probabilities, does not directly or indirectly implicate the petitioner in the procurement, ownership, or concealment of 8.86 acres of land associated with the ‘proceeds of crime.’ None of the registry or revenue documents show any direct link of the petitioner to the acquisition and possession of the mentioned land.

The court order also mentions that the implications of the conclusions reached by this Court meet the requirement under Section 45 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002, indicating that there is reason to believe that the petitioner is not culpable of the alleged offence.”

The moment of Mr. Hemant Soren’s release holds significance since the State is heading towards an Assembly election scheduled for November this year. Notably, his wife, Kalpana Murmu Soren, emerged victorious in the recent by-poll for the Gandey Assembly seat.