The Supreme Court of India delivered a stern message to the Enforcement Directorate today, staying proceedings against Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren in a high-stakes money laundering case. CJI Surya Kant’s bench, alongside Justice Joymalya Bagchi, issued formal notices and imposed an immediate halt on lower court actions.
In a moment of judicial wit, CJI Kant advised: ‘We saw in the papers you’ve registered many cases. Direct your energy to those major ones for constructive results.’ The exchange highlighted ED’s claim of seven evaded summonses, rebutted by Mukul Rohatgi noting Soren’s three attendances culminating in arrests.
Tracing origins, ED’s action followed seizures of 8.86-acre land deeds from Soren’s associate, invoking PMLA protocols. Ranchi magistrate summoned under IPC Section 174; High Court endorsed despite Soren’s challenge. The SLP elevated it to SC, yielding this protective order.
Soren, no stranger to ED scrutiny having faced arrest before, continues governing amid clouds. This reprieve recalibrates power dynamics, curbing agency pursuits temporarily. Legal experts view it as a call for proportionality in investigations involving public figures.
Jharkhand’s polity braces for ripples, with Soren’s leadership fortified short-term. As ED files its reply, substantive hearings loom, potentially exposing evidentiary gaps or strengths. This ruling reaffirms the judiciary’s sentinel role in India’s democratic framework, ensuring no arm of state acts unchecked.