Shibu Sorens acquittal challenged in Supreme Court

New Delhi, Dec 5 (UNI) An appeal was today filed in the Supreme Court challenging the Delhi High Court judgement acquitting former Union Minister and JMM chief Shibu Soren in the Shashi Nath Jha murder case.

The appeal was filed by Vijay Nath Jha, brother of Shashi Kant Jha.

Shibu Soren was sentenced to life imprisonment by the trial court. However, the High Court acquitted him and reversed the trial court order of Soren's conviction and sentence.

According to the petitioner, the High Court should not have interfered with the trial court order as it was based on the correct appraisal of the evidence.

Jha was personal assistant to Soren and his body was recovered from the staircases of a government flat in Laxmi Bai Nagar.

According to the petitioner, the investigating agency was trying to protect the accused, who is an ally of the ruling UPA, the ruling alliance at the Centre, and ''this is why the state has not filed an appeal against the acquittal of Soren''.

The petitioner said, '' There is sufficient evidence on record which points that Shibu Soren is involved in the murder of his brother and if the High Court order is not set aside, it will lead to total miscarriage of justice and shall erode the faith of common man in the judicial system of the country.'' The High Court had acquitted Soren on the ground that there was no evidence against the appellant and even the body of the deceased could not be identified.

Few parts of the body of the deceased were recovered during investigation.

According to the petitioner, Soren had been threatching petitioners and the family members.

UNI