Shibu Soren directed to pay Rs 2500 to man challenging his 2014 LS candidacy

The Jharkhand High Court Thursday asked Shibu Soren to pay Rs 2,500 to Sunil Soren, who filed a petition challenging the JMM president's election from Dumka in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls. The JMM chief was asked to pay for failing to cross-examine the petitioner, who has to come to Ranchi from Dumka again in connection with the case.

Hearing the petition, Justice A B Singh asked Shibu Soren's advocate to cross-examine Sunil Soren after the latter recorded his statement. But, Shibu Soren's advocate said he would not cross-examine now, following which the petitioner insisted that cross-examination should be done simultaneously and that he had to come to Ranchi from Dumka again if the exercise was not done Thursday.

As Shibu Soren's advocate did not cross-examine the petitioner, the bench asked to pay him Rs 2,500 towards to and fro charges to the petitioner. The next date for hearing is fixed on March 26.

Sunil Soren had contested the 2014 elections as BJP candidate against Shibu Soren from the Dumka LS constituency (ST), and later challenged the former chief minister's victory.

(With inputs from agencies.)