Former Agriculture Minister Nalin Soren, accused in the multi-crore seed scam during the Madhu Koda Government, was on Friday sent to three-day judicial custody by the vigilance court.
Soren was produced before the court after he surrendered before the Vigilance Bureau on Thursday ahead of the confidence vote in the Jharkhand Assembly. Complaining of high blood pressure, cardiac problem, hyper-tension and breathing problem, Soren requested the court that he may be allowed to get proper medical treatment at the Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS). He also complained that he cannot walk properly as one of the bones of his left leg has been replaced by a steel rod.
After hearing the arguments by his advocate, the court in its order directed the Birsa Munda Jail Superintendent to provide Soren proper medical treatment as per the jail manual. “As Nalin Soren has multiple ailments, we requested the court that he may be provided proper medical treatment. The court has directed the jail doctor to examine him properly and provide medical treatment to him as per the jail manuals,” said Nalin’s advocate TN Dubey.
Rejecting defense counsel’s plea to allow Soren to be taken directly to the RIMS, the court said that it was up to the jail doctor to decide on this. He has been sent to three-day judicial custody and will be produced again before the court on July 23. Soren has been in the eye of controversy after he went underground following a warrant of arrest issued against him recently. The JMM MlA, however, said that he was in his constituency among his people and was not absconding. “Since, the Supreme Court had directed to first surrender and then take part in the voting, I surrendered before the vigilance bureau and voted for the government,” said Soren.
Earlier on Thursday, Soren surrendered before the vigilance team of DSP Shailendra Burnawal, Inspector Anil Kumar Chaudhary, SI Bramhadeo Prasad, Constables Hari Mohan Meena and Dharmendra Kumar near Jagannathpur Police Station at 3 pm who was then directly taken to the Assembly for voting. “As the vigilance officials wanted to interrogate him, he was kept at Jagannathpur police station for the night and produced before the court later on Friday after medical check-up at Sadar hospital” said a vigilance official requesting anonymity.
Soren, who was State Agriculture Minister in the Governments of Madhu Koda and Shibu Soren during October 2006 -August 2008 and September 2008 - January 2009 respectively, had ordered the purchase of vegetable seeds, fertilizers, pesticides in huge quantities far in excess of what was needed. The seeds, allegedly bought from private firms like M/s Nefed and M/s Naramake, were later found to be of poor quality. The vigilance court, in February, had issued arrest warrants against Soren alongwith and nine others — Rajesh Kumar Singh, Anjani Kumar Mishra, Arun Kumar, Piyush Kujoor, Anil Kumar, Dinesh Prasad, Aniruddh Kumar, Ajeshwar Prasad Singh and Bhavesh Thakur.