Ranchi: On Saturday, Chief Minister Hemant Soren arrived at the special court at Ranchi Civil Court, following the High Court’s directive in the ED summons case. He appeared before MP-MLA Court Judge Sarthak Sharma. He also submitted two bail bonds of ₹7,000 each. Arriving at the Civil Court amid tight security, Chief Minister Hemant Soren proceeded directly to his residence after the court proceedings. A large number of lawyers, including Advocate General Rajiv Ranjan, were present with him during his appearance before the court.
Next hearing on December 12th
Advocate Pradeep Chandra, representing Chief Minister Hemant Soren, stated that as per the High Court’s directive, the Chief Minister will not be required to appear before the court any further. He added that the next hearing in the case will be held on December 12th, where the Chief Minister will not be required to attend. The case can be presented before the court through an advocate at the next hearing. The ED filed a complaint on February 19, 2024.
The hearing in the ED summons contempt case began after the Enforcement Directorate filed a complaint. However, on December 3, the Chief Minister received a major relief from the High Court in this matter. Justice Anil Kumar Chaudhary’s court waived the requirement for CM Hemant Soren to appear in person during the trial, ordering him to appear in the MP-MLA court only on December 6.
Online or in-person appearance required if required
The court, while removing the requirement for in-person appearance, also stated that if the trial court requires him to appear for any special reason, he will have to appear via video conferencing or in-person. This case relates to an FIR filed by the ED on February 19, 2024, in which Hemant Soren is accused of defying eight summons.
