RANCHI: Former Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren, who is currently lodged in Birsa Munda Central Jail in connection with a money laundering case linked to land scam, has filed a petition in PMLA Court in Ranchi seeking permission to attend the Budget Session of Jharkhand Assembly starting from February 23. The court after hearing both sides has reserved its order and will pronounce it on Thursday.
Earlier on February 5, the PMLA court had allowed Soren’s petition seeking permission to attend the floor test of Chief Minister Champai Soren at the Jharkhand Assembly.
Advocate Rajeev Ranjan appeared on behalf of Soren in the court cited various other occasions when the BJP legislators were allowed to attend the Assembly a session earlier also.
“Since one or another bill is passed every day through voting which is very crucial, and hence, we have sought permission from the court to attend the five-day Budget Session of the Jharkhand Assembly,” said Advocate Rajeev Kumar. Earlier also, the court has allowed BJP legislators like Dhullu Mahto and Nalin Soren to attend the Assembly Sessions, he added.
Ranjan informed that the ED countered his petition very strongly but it will not stand in the court as prohibition of 62 (5) is only for the voting of MP and MLA and is not applicable for the general proceedings of the Assembly. After hearing both sides, the court has kept its orders reserved and will pronounce it on Thursday, he said.
Zohaib Hussain, who joined virtually from ED side, argued that the constitutional rights of a person remain in suspended mode when he or she remains in judicial custody therefore, Hemant Soren should not be allowed to attend the session.
Hemant Soren, after being questioning for over 7 hours, was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate on January 31 from his residence and is currently under judicial custody.
