SC junks 'infructuous' plea of Soren

THE Supreme Court on Friday disposed of former Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren's petition challenging the delay by the state high court in deciding his plea against his ED arrest in a money laundering case, and seeking the same relief.

- SUCHITRA KALYAN MOHANTY

Noting that the Jharkhand HC had, on May 3, refused the bail, a two-judge bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Datta said the matter has now become "infructuous". "Your plea is disposed of now," the judge said.

Soren has now moved the apex court challenging the May 3 order of the state HC which is pending before it.

The former CM had moved the apex court seeking interim bail, by alleging that the Jharkhand High Court had on February 28, 2024, had reserved his plea, but so far, till April 30, it had failed in pronouncing the same. Soren had moved the top court seeking bail and also challenged the delay by the state HC in pronouncing the verdict on his petition that challenged his arrest by the ED.