Supreme Court to hear Hemant Soren’s plea against ED arrest on Feb 2

The Supreme Court on Thursday agreed to urgently list the plea filed by former Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren, challenging his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), in a money laundering case linked to an alleged land scam.

Soren resigned from his post on Wednesday after the ED arrested him as the central anti-money laundering agency was not satisfied with his answers to queries.

A Bench presided over by Chief Justice of India (CJI), DY Chandrachud, agreed to list the matter for hearing on Friday (February 2) after a mention was made on Soren’s behalf by senior advocate Kapil Sibal.

Seeking an urgent hearing, Sibal questioned the manner in which the ED sleuths arrested the sitting Chief Minister of a state.

“This affects the polity of the country. How can a man be arrested like this,” he said.

“We will keep it for tomorrow,” CJI Chandrachud responded.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta apprised the apex court that a similar petition had been instituted by Soren against his arrest and the ED’s probe before the Jharkhand High Court.

Sibal responded that the plea before the High Court would be withdrawn.

Soren tendered his resignation to the Governor on Wednesday, after the ED, which had been questioning the Chief Minister at his residence since the afternoon, informed him that it was arresting him.

Hemant Soren, who was reportedly "missing", resurfaced in Ranchi late on Tuesday, reaching his Kanke Road residence at around 1:50 p.m.

The ED had been on the lookout for him in Delhi since Monday morning.

They searched for him at several places including his Delhi residence and Jharkhand Bhawan, but did not find him.