“Pressurised”: The Viral Conversation Between A Supreme Court Judge And Kapil Sibal (image-X/KapilSIbal)

During the hearing of petitions filed by former Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal against their arrests by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), senior advocate Kapi Sibal had a viral exchange with the bench comprising Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Datta.

Sibal, representing Hemant Soren, asked for a date to be scheduled to prevent further delay, citing Soren’s extended incarceration during the Lok Sabha elections. During the proceedings, Sibal attempted to suggest the matter be listed on Friday, to which Justice Khanna asked, “What is this? Give us some discretion.”

Sibal remarked, “I understand, your Lordships are also pressurised.” Justice Khanna stated that the bench was not ‘pressurised’ to which the senior advocate clarified, “Work-wise, I am saying.”

The court issued a notice returnable by May 6 and stated that the High Court could pronounce the reserved order during that time.

Citing the Jharkhand High Court’s delay in declaring a verdict on Soren’s petition against the ED arrest, even when the hearing had concluded on February 28, Soren had approached the top court. He was arrested on January 31 in relation to a money laundering case associated with an alleged land scam. Although Soren, who has been in custody since his arrest, had approached the Supreme Court soon after the arrest, the court rejected his plea and asked Soren to approach a High Court instead.

The ED case against Soren claims that the authority recovered cash worth Rs 36 lakhs and documents to his illegal possession of at least 12 land parcels. The ED claimed that the former chief minister was knowingly involved in activities linked to possession, concealment, and use of proceeds of crime. The investigation recovered evidence for 8.5 acres of land under Soren’s possession.