SC asks former Jharkhand CM Soren to approach HC against ED arrest

New Delhi, Feb 2 (IANS) The Supreme Court on Friday asked former Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren to approach the state high court to challenge his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with a money laundering case linked to an alleged land scam.

Declining to entertain the plea filed by Soren directly before the apex court, a special bench presided over by Justice Sanjiv Khanna said: “Go to the High Court. We will not entertain it.”

“We leave it open to the petitioner to approach the High Court under Article 226 of the Constitution…It would also be open for petitioner to ask for expeditious listing and disposal of the petition,” ordered the bench, also comprising Justices M.M. Sundresh and Bela M. Trviedi.

In his petition filed under Article 32 of the Constitution, Soren alleged that the ED officials abused their powers for extraneous considerations under the dictates of the Central government as a part of a “well-orchestrated conspiracy” ahead of the Lok Sabha polls.

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