Jharkhand HC rejects JMM MLA's plea ahead of trust vote

Jharkhand High Court on Wednesday rejected a petition moved by JMM MLA Nalin Soren praying for a stay on the non-bailable warrant issued by a lower court against him in connection with the seed scam.

Observing that the petitioner was trying to evade arrest, Justice R R Prasad rejected the petition of Soren, who filed it ahead of Thursday's trust vote to be taken by the Hemant Soren-led government. His vote is crucial when Chief Minister Hemant Soren moves a vote of confidence at the assembly on Thursday.

The court on July 4 served notices to the government asking why the MLA was not arrested when he turned up on July 3 to pay tribute to the slain Pakur Superintendent of Police Amarjit Balihar at the Jharkhand Armed Police complex.

Soren is facing the NBW by a vigilance court, issued on June 20, after the vigilance bureau sought the warrant in connection with Rs 26 crore seed scam. He was agriculture minister in the erstwhile Madhu Koda government between 2006 and 2008.