ED moves Supreme Court against bail to Hemant Soren
Hemant Soren bail: ED argued the Jharkhand High Court decision was erroneous and challenged its finding that there was no primary facie evidence that Mr. Soren was guilty under the PMLA
The Directorate of Enforcement (ED) appealed to the Supreme Court on Monday (July 8) against the grant of bail to Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren by the State High Court in a money laundering case linked to a land scam.
The agency argued the High Court decision was erroneous and challenged its finding that there was no primary facie evidence that Mr. Soren was guilty under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
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The High Court had also concluded that there was no likelihood of Mr. Soren committing an offence while out on bail.
Earlier, opposing interim bail sought by Mr. Soren in the apex court, the ED had claimed he was guilty of the offence of money laundering for which he was arrested in January.
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The chargesheet filed against him in the case had listed cogent evidence against him and his close associates, the agency claimed.
It said Mr. Soren had resorted to filing false cases against officials under SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act to thwart the investigation. Moreover, he had used State machinery against the ED investigation and to create false trails. He would tamper with the evidence and influence witnesses, the ED argued.
The ED had contended that while Mr. Soren claimed he had no connection with the 8.86 acres of land at Shanti Nagar in Ranchi, he had allegedly tried to tamper with the evidence.
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Mr. Soren had opposed his very arrest in the case.
“Whatever material was in possession of the ED officer was not enough to arrest me under Article 19 (power to arrest) of the PMLA… The allegation against me at the time of the arrest was forcible or illegal possession of 8.86 acres of land in Ranchi. Forcible or illegal possession of land is not a scheduled offence under the PMLA,” senior advocate Kapil Sibal had argued on his behalf in the top court.
- Telegram
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