ED challenges HC bail for Hemant Soren in top court

NEW DELHI: ED moved SC on Monday challenging Jharkhand HC's decision to grant bail to Hemant Soren, which paved the way for his return as CM, on the ground that HC failed to consider direct evidence against him relating to land grab and money laundering.
HC had granted bail to Soren on June 28 saying prima facie there appeared to be no direct evidence to link him to the land scam and that there was no likelihood of him committing similar offences in future.
In its special leave petition, ED said the HC had erred by glossing over evidence that linked Soren to illegally acquiring 12 plots measuring over 8.5 acres and drew the apex court's attention to the alleged recovery of Rs 36 lakh from his residence in Shanti Niketan in New Delhi, during a raid.
Soren was arrested on Jan 31 by ED hours after he had resigned as CM. His party JMM's Champai Soren succeeded him as CM, only to resign on grant of bail to Soren to pave the way for the latter to become CM again.
On May 22, the apex court had refused to entertain Soren's plea challenging the validity of his arrest by ED in the land scam case. He had argued that land grab was not a predicate office under Prevention of Money Laundering Act and that the land alleged to have been forcibly taken by him was never in his name.
The refusal to admit Soren's appeal was also for the fact that a trial court had already taken cognisance of a chargesheet filed against him in the land grab case. The trial court had also rejected his regular bail plea. Soren's challenge to his arrest was rejected by Jharkhand high court on May 3, after which he had approached the Supreme Court.