RANCHI, 28 JUNE

The Jharkhand High Court granted bail to former Chief Minister Hemant Soren in a money laundering case linked to land scam. The high court had on June 13 reserved its decision on Soren's bail plea.

"Bail has been granted to Soren. The court has held that prima facie he is not guilty of the offence and there is no likelihood of the petitioner committing an offence when on bail," Soren's senior counsel Arunabh Chowdhury told

Soren, the executive president of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate on January 31 in connection with its investigation into the money laundering case. The 48-year-old politician is currently lodged in Birsa Munda jail. During the hearing, ED's counsel SV Raju argued that if Soren is released on bail, he would commit a similar offence.