Soren appears before Jamtara court

Jamtara, May 23: Incarcerated Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) president Sibu Soren, who failed to appear before a local court on nine previous dates, was today produced in the court in connection with the three-decade-old Chirudih massacre case.

The statement of Soren was also recorded in the court of Additional District and Sessions judge Arun Kumar under CrPC 313.

Soren pleaded that the case was falsely fabricted against him by people who were not in favour of his agitation against 'Mahajani pratha'.

In his statement Soren said he was innocent and was not present at the spot.

He said that he was at the Pokharia Ashram in Dhanbad district at the time of incident.

The statements of other nine accused in the case were also recorded.

The court had separated the matter of one acused who had been declared an absconder.

By this, the statements of all the 25 out of 26 accused had been recorded.

The court had also fixed June 11 for presention of proof by the defence.

Earlier, Soren was brought from Dumka Central jail at about 0845hrs and sent back amid tight security.

Soren, facing life imprisonment for killing his personal assistant Shashi Nath Jha, was brought to Jharkhand after the court issued production warrant against him in connection with Chirudih massacre which occurred on January 23, 1975, in which 11 people were killed.

In 2004 the former union coal minister had to quit the Union Cabinet following his arrest in this case. Later on he was granted conditional bail by the High Court.

At present Soren is lodged at Dumka Central jail after he was brought to Jharkhand from Tihar Central Jail of Delhi.

On previous dates also the JMM president failed to appear before the court on health grounds despite being under treatment at Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences at state capital.

UNI