THE JHARKHAND STORY NETWORK
New Delhi, February 3: A Day after the Supreme Court refused to entertain former Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren’s plea challenging his arrest by the ED, Senior lawyer Kapil Sibal said, “The court should tell us as in which matter we should come here (apex court) and in which matter we should not. We do not know whether the Supreme Court will hear our petition, but we know about history.”
Speaking about the ruling at a press conference here, Sibal, who appeared on behalf of Soren, said that the Supreme Court ought to have heard the case’s merits before refusing to interfere in it and urged the court to lay down the criteria for when people should approach it.
Centre wants no opposition: Sibal
Sibal alleged that Soren is targeted as the BJP-led Centre “wants no opposition chief minister to continue in his post” and only “double-engine governments” everywhere. The Supreme Court asked him to approach the high court instead on Friday.
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Article 32
Arguing that Article 32 also gives citizens a fundamental right, he said several cases have been entertained by the Supreme Court and relief provided under the article.
Article 32 of the Constitution gives every citizen the right to seek constitutional remedy from the Supreme Court when deprived of their fundamental rights.
Soren was arrested on January 31 in the money-laundering case linked to “illegal” possession of huge parcels of land and alleged association with the “land mafia”.
Hemant Soren allowed to participate in floor test
Meanwhile, the Ranchi ED court has allowed Hemant Soren to participate in voting during the floor test in the Assembly on February 5.
“Although the ED vociferously and vehemently objected to the petition, the cat is out of the bag now. The purpose of the arrest (Hemant Soren) was to bring down the government by not allowing one MLA to participate in the floor test voting. So, therefore, this entire exercise is malafide – that is what our stand is from the very beginning,” said Advocate General Rajiv Ranjan.