SC allows absconding JMM MLA to participate in vote of confidence motion

New Delhi: Absconding JMM MLA Nalin Soren, who is facing non-bailable warrant in connection with the Rs 26 crore seed scam, was on Thursday directed by the Supreme Court to surrender before Ranchi police for participating in vote on confidence motion in Jharkhand Assembly.

A bench headed by Chief Justice Altamas Kabir accepted Soren`s plea for participating in the trust vote after his counsel Devdutt Kamath said that the MLA was ready to surrender. His vote is crucial when Chief Minister Hemant Soren moves a vote of confidence at the Assembly. Advocate Tapesh Kumar Singh, appearing for Jharkhand government, agreed to the condition that absconding MLA be allowed to participate in today`s assembly proceedings after his surrender. Soren approached the apex court after the Jharkhand High Court yesterday rejected his plea for a stay on the non-bailable warrant issued by a lower court against him. Observing that the petitioner was trying to evade arrest, the High Court rejected the petition of Soren. Soren is facing the NBW by a vigilance court, issued on June 20, after the vigilance bureau sought the warrant in connection with the Rs 26 crore seed scam. He was agriculture minister in the erstwhile Madhu Koda government between 2006 and 2008. PTI