Jharkhand: Sibu Soren appears in Jamtara court

Jamtara, June 26: Jailed former Union Minister and Jharkhand Mukti Morcha(JMM) president Sibu Soren, facing life term imprisonment for killing his assistant, was today produced before a local court here in the three-deacde old Chirrudih massacre case.

He is facing charges of murdering Shashi Nath Jha in 1994, for which he was arrested last year.

Soren was produced in the court of Additional District and Sessions Judge (first) Arun Kumar.

About 24 accused in the case also appeared before the court.

Today only one defence witness was produced before the court.

Expressing displeasure over the slow presence of the defence witness the court said that if the pace of producing the defence witness remained same then they would not be permitted after two to three dates.

The court fixed July 4 as next date for hearing.

About 11 persons were killed in the Chirrudih massacre on January 23, 1975 in which Soren was an accused.

The JMM president had to resign from Union cabinet in 2004 after a production warrant was issued by the court in this connection.

Soren was sent back to Dumka Central jail amidst tight security as the convoy of former union minister was attacked by bombs in Deoghar district yesterday when he was returning to Dumka after being produced in a Giridih court.

UNI