Hemant Soren moves J'khand HC, seeks permission to participate in assembly session

Former Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren on Friday, 23 February moved an application before the state’s high court, seeking permission to participate in the budget session of the assembly.

A special court in Ranchi had earlier denied permission to Soren to take part in the session that got underway on Friday.

The JMM leader was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on 31 January in a money laundering case.

The ED sought time to file a response to Soren’s plea, and the high court fixed 26 February as the next date of hearing.

Advocate General Rajeev Ranjan, appearing for Soren, informed the court that this would be the last budget of the government before the assembly elections later this year, and hence, several money bills and accounts will be discussed in the House.

The money bills will be subject to voting by members of the assembly, and the former CM’s presence is, therefore, important, Ranjan argued.

The presence of Soren in the assembly will not affect investigation of the case by the ED in any manner, he said.

The ED, represented by Additional Solicitor General of India S V Raju and A K Das, sought time to file a response to the petition.

The assembly will be in session from 23 February to 2 March, with the Champai Soren government tabling its first budget on 27 February.

Senior JMM leader Champai Soren was sworn in as the chief minister after his predecessor, Hemant Soren, was arrested by the ED on 31 January.

The former CM was sent to the Birsa Munda Central Jail on 15 February, after his 13-day ED custody ended.