Relief for Jharkhand CM: Supreme Court Stays ED Trial

In a significant development, the Supreme Court has halted the trial against Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren, pertaining to a money laundering case linked to illegal stone-chip mining. Soren had sought quashing of the repetitive summons issued by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), asserting it as a tool of harassment.

The bench, led by Chief Justice Surya Kant, issued a notice to the ED, acknowledging Soren's challenge to the Jharkhand High Court's decision that refused to quash the case against him. Soren’s defense emphasized that the ED has overstepped, with seven summons issued, despite Soren seeking judicial remedies.

Legal representatives for Soren argue that the proceedings are an abuse of law, devised to vex and harass the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha leader. They contend that invoking legal recourse should not be misinterpreted as intentional non-compliance with the ED's summons, thus questioning the validity of the ongoing prosecution.