RANCHI: ED on Saturday began to quiz Hemant Soren in a land scam and related money laundering case even as a special court allowed the arrested former Jharkhand CM to take part in a floor test of the new JMM government on Monday.
State advocate-general Rajiv Ranjan had filed a petition seeking permission for the JMM leader to take part in the special assembly session called for the trust vote. Judge Dinesh Rai ordered that Soren would stay in the assembly till voting is completed, after which ED officials would take him back for further questioning. JMM’s Champai Soren, who took over as CM after Soren quit and was arrested three days ago, is seeking the trust vote.
“The judge ordered that the former CM should be brought to the Vidhan Sabha at 11am and he should not talk to the media during his presence in the assembly,” one of Soren’s advocates, Pradeep Chandra, said.
Earlier on Saturday, ED officials arrived at Ranchi’s Birsa Munda Central Jail and left with Soren for their office. Soren waved to the media as he was led into the office. The court rejected his plea for night stay in the jail while in ED’s custody.
Sources said Soren could be brought face to face with Bhanu Pratap Prasad, a former revenue sub-inspector of Baragai arrested last year. ED has requested the court for custody of Prasad, now in jail.
State advocate-general Rajiv Ranjan had filed a petition seeking permission for the JMM leader to take part in the special assembly session called for the trust vote. Judge Dinesh Rai ordered that Soren would stay in the assembly till voting is completed, after which ED officials would take him back for further questioning. JMM’s Champai Soren, who took over as CM after Soren quit and was arrested three days ago, is seeking the trust vote.
“The judge ordered that the former CM should be brought to the Vidhan Sabha at 11am and he should not talk to the media during his presence in the assembly,” one of Soren’s advocates, Pradeep Chandra, said.
Earlier on Saturday, ED officials arrived at Ranchi’s Birsa Munda Central Jail and left with Soren for their office. Soren waved to the media as he was led into the office. The court rejected his plea for night stay in the jail while in ED’s custody.
Sources said Soren could be brought face to face with Bhanu Pratap Prasad, a former revenue sub-inspector of Baragai arrested last year. ED has requested the court for custody of Prasad, now in jail.
