NEW DELHI: Former Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren, on Monday knocked on the doors of the Supreme Court by filing an appeal against the State High Court's order rejecting his plea challenging his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in a money laundering case.
He had moved the top court after the Jharkhand HC had on Friday dismissed his plea. He had filed the plea in the HC challenging his arrest in the ED's money laundering case.
Senior lawyer, Kapil Sibal, appearing for Soren, mentioned the matter before a bench of the top court, led by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud for early listing of the case, to which, the CJI asked him to send an email containing his request. Sibal requested the apex court for an urgent listing of his plea into the case.
The bench also comprising JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra assured Sibal that they would look into the matter for listing it at an earlier date when they would receive an email from him.
Sibal pleaded for early listing of the case and told the bench that the election phase in Jharkhand would begin on May 13.
The lawyer further alleged that we have filed the SLP (Special Leave Petition) but it was very unfortunate that rights are being trampled in this fashion.
The Jharkhand HC bench, led by, acting chief justice S Chandrashekhar, who heard the matter, had reserved its verdict on February 28 and pronounced the judgement on May 3, Friday. It rejected his plea.
Soren, was in jail since he was arrested by the ED on January 31 in connection with his alleged involvement in a money laundering case. He, however, claimed innocence in the case and said that he was neither involved in a money laundering case nor in "any illegal act."