In a significant blow to former Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren, the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) Court on Thursday rejected his plea to attend the upcoming budget session of the Jharkhand Legislative Assembly. Soren, who is also a legislator, had been arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on January 31 in connection with a land scam case and is currently held in judicial custody at Hotwar Jail in Ranchi.
Soren’s legal team had approached the special ED court, informing it of the budget session scheduled to start on February 23. They argued that Soren’s presence was crucial for the passage of the Money Bill during the session. However, the court dismissed these arguments and subsequently denied the petition.
The decision came after a hearing on Soren’s petition, with the court reserving its verdict following the completion of arguments on Wednesday. Soren’s legal representation, led by Advocate General Rajiv Ranjan, had emphasized the importance of his attendance for the Money Bill during the budget session.
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Previously, Soren was granted permission by the special court to participate in the proceedings of a special session during a confidence vote. The budget session, set to begin on February 23 and last until March 2, will include the presentation of the third supplementary budget as well as the budget for the upcoming fiscal year on March 27.
