Arrested ex-Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren reaches assembly to participate in trust vote

Arrested JMM leader and former Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren on Monday, 5 January reached the assembly to take part in a trust vote of the Champai Soren-led government.

A special court in Ranchi allowed Hemant Soren, the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) executive president, to participate in the floor test.

Hemant Soren was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate on 31 January in a money laundering case linked to an alleged land scam.

He was remanded to ED custody for five days by the court on 2 February.

Hemant Soren had filed a petition before the special PMLA (Prevention of Money Laundering Act) court, seeking permission to participate in the trust vote sought by the new government.

He had pleaded before the court that he is a member of the assembly and has a right to participate in the special session of the House.

The new government led by Champai Soren has sought the floor test to prove its majority in the House.

JMM legislature party leader Champai Soren took oath as the chief minister of Jharkhand on February 2, after his predecessor Hemant Soren's arrest.