Ranchi, Oct 1 (IANS): The Jharkhand High Court, while hearing a petition seeking quashing of an FIR registered under the SC/ST Act against Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials, on Thursday imposed a fine of Rs 10,000 on Chief Minister Hemant Soren.
The fine was imposed after Soren sought six weeks time to file his response in the matter.
Expressing displeasure over the request, the court granted him four weeks to submit the reply. The next hearing has been scheduled for November 2.
The petition has been filed by former ED officials Kapil Raj, Devvrat Jha, and others, seeking the cancellation of the FIR lodged against them by Hemant Soren.
The High Court had earlier directed Soren to file his response in the case.
During a hearing in April 2026, Soren had also sought additional time to submit his reply, following which the court had imposed a similar monetary penalty.
The case dates back to 2024. On January 31, 2024, after the ED conducted searches at Hemant Soren’s Delhi residence, he lodged an FIR at the SC/ST police station in Ranchi against then ED officials Kapil Raj, Devvrat Jha, Anupam Kumar, and others.
In the complaint, Soren had alleged that the way the ED conducted searches at his Delhi residence on January 29, 2024, and the publicity surrounding the operation were humiliating and defamatory.
He contended that, as a member of a Scheduled Tribe, the ED’s actions had not only insulted him personally but had also demeaned the tribal community he represents.
Acting on the FIR, Ranchi Police issued notices to the ED officials under Section 41A of the CrPC. The officials subsequently approached the High Court, seeking the quashing of the FIR.
They also requested relief from any investigation and further proceedings arising out of the case.
Earlier, the High Court had stayed the notices issued by the police and all related actions against the ED officials, while directing the state government to file its response.
