Can court examine legality of arrest under PMLA when bail already rejected? SC asks Hemant Soren

The Supreme Court on Tuesday asked former Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren if the validity of his arrest in an alleged money laundering case could be examined when a trial court has refused him bail and taken cognizance of the Enforcement Directorate’s complaint, Live Law reported.

Soren has been in jail since January 31, when he was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate on charges of money laundering in a land scam case. The arrest had come shortly after he resigned as the chief minister in the wake of being questioned by the central law enforcement agency in the matter.

The Enforcement Directorate has alleged that a “racket of land mafia” in Jharkhand was involved in tampering with official records in Ranchi and Kolkata. Some of the land acquired through the forgery was in Soren’s illegal possession, the agency has alleged.

On Tuesday, a vacation bench comprising Justices Dipankar Datta and Satish Chandra Sharma was hearing Soren’s plea challenging the Jharkhand High Court’s decision denying him bail.

Appearing for the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha leader, Kapil Sibal told the top court that the Enforcement Directorate had booked Soren only on the basis of oral statements by some persons who claimed that the former chief minister had illegally taken possession of the land, reported Bar and Bench.

Sibal contended that Soren had...

Read more