The Supreme Court on Monday dismissed the anticipatory bail plea of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Sunil Soren, who is accused of raping a woman.

A Bench comprising Justices Bela M. Trivedi and KV Viswanathan noted that the case against Soren has been pending since 2022 and emphasized that he cannot evade arrest. Justice Trivedi further pointed out that the Jharkhand High Court had previously denied his anticipatory bail three times.

“The plea has already been rejected three times. What is the status of the investigation? The complaint dates back to 2017—why has it remained pending? Were you absconding?” the Court asked.

Observing that Soren must make himself available before the trial court, the Supreme Court refused to grant him any relief.

The case stems from a 2017 complaint in which the woman alleged that Soren sexually abused her and that she later gave birth to a child. According to the complaint, he had promised to marry her but failed to do so and continued to exploit her.

The Court emphasized that the case had been committed to the trial court in 2022 and stated, “You cannot evade arrest like this. You have to respect court proceedings. Sorry, dismissed.”