Hemant Soren case different from Arvind Kejriwal case: ED opposes interim bail
New Delhi: Opposing the interim bail application of former Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren in the Supreme Court, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has distinguished Soren’s case from that of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal case, saying that in Soren’s case, the special PMLA court has taken cognisance of the case against Soren.
ED impressed on the court when a court takes cognisance of a charge sheet, it means there has been an application of judicial mind on the charges levelled against Soren and cognisance has only been taken after the court was prima facie convinced that an offence has been committed.
Soren was not arrested few days before declaration of 18th Lok Sabha elections: ED
Moreover, Additional Solicitor General SV Raju, appearing for the ED, submitted to the Supreme Court that Soren’s case is different from Kejriwal’s case. First in Soren’s case, the special court has taken cognisance of the charges against him, second, Soren’s bail application has also been rejected by the trial court and lastly, unlike Kejriwal, Soren was not arrested few days before the declaration of the 18th Lok Sabha elections.
Hemant Soren was arrested by ED on January 31
Hemant Soren, foremr chief minister of Jharkhand was arrested by the ED on January 31 this year for his involvement in a land scam case in the state capital and is now before the Supreme Court seeking permission to participate in the ongoing Lok Sabha polls to campaign for his party, the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM).
Soren is banking on apex court order granting Kejriwal interim bail for poll campaigning
For this release, Soren is banking on a recent order passed by the Supreme Court releasing Delhi Chief Minster Arvind Kejriwal on interim bail till June 1 to participate and campaigning for his Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in the Lok Sabha elections.
Kejriwal is also an accused in a PMLA case of Delhi liquor policy. So drawing parity in the circumstances, Soren is seeking to be released by the top court on interim bail.
On Tuesday, the hearing in case for Soren’s interim bail could not be completed and will now be heard by a bench of Justice Dipankar Dutta and Justice SC Sharma.