Ranchi, Sep 21 (IANS) Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren suffered a setback on Monday after a special PMLA court rejected his plea seeking postponement of proceedings and the framing of charges in the alleged land scam and money laundering case.
The court has fixed September 24 as the next date of hearing, when arguments on framing of charges will be taken up.
The court of the Special Judge (AJC-1), Ranchi Civil Court, dismissed Soren’s application as devoid of merit.
In his plea, Soren had argued that since the Enforcement Directorate (ED) had sought permission for further investigation and filing of a supplementary charge sheet, further proceedings in the case, including the framing of charges, should be kept in abeyance until the probe is completed.
Appearing for Soren, his counsel cited a Supreme Court ruling and contended that a trial should not commence while the investigation is still underway.
However, the ED’s special public prosecutor opposed the plea, alleging that the application was an attempt to delay the proceedings.
The agency also informed the court that Soren’s discharge petition had already been rejected and that the Jharkhand High Court had declined to stay further proceedings in the matter.
After hearing both sides, the special court observed that the continuation of further investigation and the filing of a supplementary complaint did not warrant a halt to the ongoing proceedings.
It noted that under the law, further investigation can continue even after the filing of the original complaint, and any supplementary complaint subsequently filed would form part of the same case.
The court also directed the ED to furnish afresh a list of documents already supplied to the defence but not being relied upon by the prosecution.
Soren could not mark his appearance before the court through video conferencing on Monday due to a technical glitch.
The court has now scheduled the matter for September 24 at 3.30 p.m. for further hearing and consideration of charges.
The case pertains to the alleged purchase and sale of 8.86 acres of land and the related money laundering allegations. The ED has initiated proceedings against Soren and several others in connection with the case. Charges are yet to be formally framed.
–IANS
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