Former Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren, arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in an alleged money laundering case, has moved the PMLA court seeking permission to participate in the upcoming state Budget Session starting from February 23 (Friday).
The Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) acting President, who was earlier granted permission to attend the trust vote on February 5, has reiterated his request to be part of the legislative proceedings during the Budget Session.
The PMLA court, after hearing arguments from counsels of Soren and the probe agency, has reserved judgment which will be announced on Thursday.
Advocate General Rajeev Ranjan, representing Hemant Soren, highlighted various other occasions when the BJP legislators such as Dhullu Mahto and Nalin Soren were also permitted to take part in the Assembly proceedings.
Meanwhile, the lawyer representing the Enforcement Directorate argued that constitutional rights are suspended during judicial custody, and the trial court should not issue any orders in this matter.
Chief Minister Champai Soren-led Jharkhand government will table its annual financial budget in the Assembly on February 27.
Hemant Soren was arrested by the probe agency in a money laundering case linked to an alleged land scam. The Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) executive president was arrested after seven-hour-long questioning by Enforcement Directorate officials at his residence in Ranchi.
Champai Soren assumed office as the 12th Chief Minister of Jharkhand on February 2, accompanied by the swearing-in of Alam and RJD leader Satyanand Bhokta as ministers.
Among the newly appointed faces in the 11-member Jharkhand Cabinet, Basant Soren, the youngest son of JMM supremo Shibu Soren, has been entrusted with the responsibilities of road construction, building construction, and water resources.
Bebi Devi, who previously served as the excise minister in the Hemant Soren government, has been assigned the crucial portfolios of women & child development and social welfare.
The JMM-led alliance, comprising JMM-29, Congress-17, and one RJD member, holds a total of 47 MLAs in the 81-member Jharkhand Assembly.
BJP has 26 legislators, the AJSU Party has three, and the NCP and CPI (ML) each have one lawmaker, with two Independents also present.
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