Ranchi: The PMLA (Prevention of Money Laundering Act) Court, Ranchi, on Saturday allowed former Chief Minister Hemant Soren to participate in the floor test on February 5.The JMM leader was also brought to the Enforcement Directorate (ED) office from Birsa Munda Central Jail for questioning.
“Former CM Hemant Soren has been allowed to participate in voting during floor test (in the Assembly). Although ED had vociferously and very vehemently objected to the petition but now the cat is out of the bag. The purpose of arrest was to bring down the government by not allowing one MLA to participate in the floor test voting. So therefore this entire exercise is malafide and that has been our stand from the very beginning. The petition has been rightly allowed and now he will be participating in the floor test,” Jharkhand Advocate General Rajiv Ranjan told PTI.
The former Jharkhand CM was arrested by ED on January 31 in connection with a money laundering case related to the “illegal” possession of extensive land parcels and his alleged involvement with the “land mafia”. Following which he resigned and Champai Soren was sworn in as the new CM of the state on February 2.
The Champai Soren-led government’s floor test is scheduled by the Governor at 11 am on February 5.