Ranchi: Hearing on the petition of former Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren was held in Ranchi High Court. The court has asked ED to present its views in one go. The next hearing in this case will now be held on February 27.
At the same time, Hemant Soren was presented in the ED court after the remand period was over. ED sought a remand of four days in the court. But, the court has granted remand for three days. Now ED will interrogate Hemant Soren till 15 February.
Senior Supreme Court Advocate Kapil Sibal, Jharkhand Advocate General Rajeev Ranjan and Advocate Piyush Chitresh presented their side on behalf of Hemant Soren in the High Court. Additional Solicitor General SV Raju and advocate AK Das represented the ED.
The case was heard in the division bench headed by Justice Chandrashekhar. After the hearing, the court gave two weeks’ time to the Enforcement Directorate to file its reply on the criminal writ petition and amendment petition filed by Hemant Soren. The former CM has filed a criminal and interference petition against the ED arrest.
In the ED court, the ED demanded extension of the remand period by 4 more days on the old ground. On this, Hemant Soren’s lawyer said that remand is being sought on old grounds. There is nothing new. Why should remand be given in this situation? Let us tell you that ED has been interrogating Hemant Soren for the last 10 days. Earlier on February 5, the former CM’s petition was heard in the High Court, where the court had asked the ED to file its reply. For this, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) got time till 9 February.
Senior Supreme Court advocate Kapil Sibal will present the case on behalf of Hemant Soren. Whereas, senior advocate Amit Kumar Das will appear on behalf of ED. The petition will be heard in the division bench of Justice S Chandrashekhar and Justice Arun Kumar Rai. A petition was filed in the Supreme Court on the same day of Hemant Soren’s arrest. Kapil Sibal and Abhishek Manu Sindvi appealed for an urgent hearing of the case before a bench led by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud.
The CJI said to hear the case on February 2. On this day, the case was heard in the bench of Justice Khanna, Justice MM Sundaresh and Justice Bela Trivedi. When the petition was given in the Supreme Court, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta said that a similar petition has also been filed in the Jharkhand High Court on behalf of Hemant Soren. On this, Sibal said that the petition is being withdrawn from the High Court. He said that the court will have to review Section 19 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.
On this, the Supreme Court refused to hear Hemant Soren’s petition and asked him to go to the High Court. Earlier, a hearing was held in Jharkhand High Court on February 1. Where Hemant Soren talked about withdrawing the petition. On which the High Court refused. Next hearing is scheduled for February 5. On February 5, a division bench of Acting Chief Justice S Chandrashekhar and Justice Arun Kumar Rai heard.
Meanwhile, advocate Amit Kumar Das, appearing for the ED, said that after new facts emerge through the applicant’s intervention petition, he should be given time to file his reply. Which the division bench accepted and gave time till 9 February. The date of hearing has been fixed for February 12. In the petition filed, it was said that ED first sent summons to Hemant Soren regarding illegal mining. On which he has recorded his statement.
After this, summons started being sent to him in FIR number 272/23 registered in Sadar police station. The property for which he was summoned for questioning by the ED is not his property at all.