The Jharkhand High Court has quashed criminal proceedings against Chief Minister Hemant Soren in a case alleging violation of the Model Code of Conduct during the 2014 Assembly elections. Soren had been facing prosecution before a district court in West Singhbhum district in connection with the election-related allegations.
The Jharkhand High Court quashed the criminal proceedings against Chief Minister Hemant Soren in a case alleging violation of the model code of conduct during the 2014 assembly elections. Soren was facing prosecution before a district court in West Singhbhum district in connection with the matter.
Justice Anil Kumar Choudhary set aside the proceedings after hearing the case in detail.
An FIR was filed at the Adityapur police station in 2014, alleging that Soren violated the model code of conduct.
Subsequently, the chief minister approached the High Court, which had earlier stayed the criminal proceedings against him.
During the hearing, Soren’s counsel argued that no violation of the model code had occurred and alleged that the FIR was lodged due to political vendetta.
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The counsel submitted that Soren had only participated in an election campaign for a candidate of his party.
The allegation was that Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren violated the Model Code of Conduct during the 2014 Jharkhand Assembly elections by campaigning beyond the permitted time for a candidate of his party, the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha. A criminal case was registered at Adityapur Police Station in Jamshedpur.
In October 2023, the Jharkhand High Court stayed the proceedings in the case and directed that no coercive action be taken against Soren while the matter was pending.
Separately, in another Model Code of Conduct case arising from the 2019 Assembly elections where Soren was accused of displaying a party symbol while casting his vote the Jharkhand High Court quashed the criminal proceedings against him in 2022.