Ranchi, October 1, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
The Jharkhand High Court on Thursday imposed a fine of Rs 10,000 on Chief Minister Hemant Soren after he sought six weeks to file his response in a petition seeking the quashing of an FIR registered against Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials under the SC/ST Act.
The court expressed displeasure over the request and granted Soren four weeks to submit his reply. The next hearing in the matter has been scheduled for November 2.
The petition was filed by former ED officials Kapil Raj, Devvrat Jha and others, who have sought the cancellation of the FIR lodged against them by Soren. The High Court had previously directed the Chief Minister to file his response.
During a hearing in April 2026, Soren had also sought additional time to submit his reply, following which the court imposed a similar monetary penalty.
The case dates back to January 2024, when the ED conducted searches at Soren’s Delhi residence. On January 31, 2024, Soren lodged an FIR at the SC/ST police station in Ranchi against then ED officials Kapil Raj, Devvrat Jha, Anupam Kumar and others.
In his complaint, Soren alleged that the manner in which the ED conducted searches at his residence on January 29, and the publicity surrounding the operation, were humiliating and defamatory. He contended that the actions had insulted him as a member of a Scheduled Tribe and demeaned the tribal community he represents.
Following the FIR, Ranchi Police issued notices to the ED officials under Section 41A of the CrPC. The officials subsequently approached the High Court, seeking to have the FIR quashed and to prevent further investigation or proceedings.
The High Court had earlier stayed the police notices and related action against the officials while directing the state government to file its response.
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