SC stays proceedings before Jharkhand High Court against CM Hemant Soren

India

oi-Deepika S

New
Delhi,
Aug
17:
The
Supreme
Court
on
Wednesday
stayed
proceeding
before
the
Jharkhand
High
Court
against
the
State’s
Chief
Minister
Hemant
Soren
for
alleged
money
laundering
via
shell
companies.

The
apex
court
also
reserved
an
order
on
a
plea
filed
by
the
Jharkhand
govt
and
CM
challenging
HC’s
order
which
accepted
PIL’s
maintainability
seeking
a
probe
against
Soren.

The
plea
before
the
Jharkhand
High
Court
had
sought
a
probe
into
alleged
irregularities
in
the
grant
of
mining
leases
and
also
into
the
transactions
of
some
shell
companies
allegedly
operated
by
the
chief
minister’s
family
members
and
associates.

ED
arrests
Jharkhand
CM
Hemant
Soren’s
aide
Pankaj
Mishra
in
money
laundering
case

The
high
court
had
accepted
the
maintainability
of
the
PIL
seeking
a
probe
against
the
chief
minister.

Three
PILs
have
been
filed
before
the
Jharkhand
HC
seeking
a
probe
by
the
Enforcement
Directorate
(ED)
and
Central
Bureau
of
Investigation
(CBI)
into
the
allegations
of
misuse
of
office,
corruption,
and
money
laundering
against
the
Chief
Minister
and
his
associates.
Meanwhile,
CM
Hemant
Soren
has
rejected
the
allegations.