In a double setback to former Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Friday, the Supreme Court refused to entertain a writ petition filed by former Jharkhand Chief Minister, Hemant Soren, challenging his arrest by the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) in connection with an alleged land scam case, while at the same time the PMLA Court in Ranchi granted the custody of Hemant Soren to the Enforcement Directorate for five days.

The Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court in Ranchi on Thursday remanded former Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren to judicial custody for one day. Soren, who was arrested by Enforcement Directorate (ED) in money laundering case on Wednesday evening, was today produced in the Court of Principal District and Session Judge, Dinesh Rai amidst hight security.

The ED sought the remand of 10 days of Soren as the ED counsel pleaded that the case involves money laundering and it requires probe. The court after hearing the arguments of both the sides reserved the order till Friday. The court pronounced the order on Friday. Soren will be kept at high security cell at Birsa Munda Hotwar Jail.

While in Delhi, the Supreme Court asked Soren to approach the Jharkhand High Court under Article 226 of the Constitution, adding that Soren was at liberty to seek expeditious listing of his petition before the high court.

Yesterday, Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal, accompanied by Senior Advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, mentioned Soren's matter before a bench led by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud, who agreed to an urgent hearing today. Accordingly, a special bench comprising Justices Sanjiv Khanna, MM Sundresh, and Bela M Trivedi was constituted to hear the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) chairperson's writ petition.

As soon as the matter was taken, Justice Khanna asked Sibal why the matter could not be heard by the high court. Sibal reasoned, "If in these kind of matters, this court doesn't send a message...We are dealing with a chief minister who has been arrested. See the evidence. This is not fair."

"First, courts are open to everybody. Second, high courts are constitutional courts. If we permit one person to come here, we will have to allow everyone," Justice Khanna countered.

On Wednesday, Hemant Soren, who is also the JMM executive president, was arrested by the ED after being questioned for more than seven hours in the land fraud case. He was arrested after resigning as the Jharkhand Chief Minister.

Hemant Soren, who assumed office on December 29, 2019, was questioned for over six hours by the ED on Wednesday after he skipped the previous nine summonses.

Soren was arrested in a case related to an illegal change of ownership of land in Jharkhand. So far, 14 people have been arrested in the case.