Jharkhand Congress, JMM MLAs move to Hyderabad ahead of floor test

Shortly after Jharkhand Mukti Morcha leader Champai Soren took Chief Minister's oath, MLAs of the ruling JMM-led coalition reached the airport to fly to Hyderabad before floor test.

“We were given 10 days to prove the government's majority. We can’t take any chance during the period as the BJP might try to contact our MLAs," a senior party leader said.

“You will witness our strength on the Floor (of the House)," said Banna Gupta, leader of JMM-led coalition.

JMM MLA Hafizul Hassan told ANI News agency that he is going to Hyderabad "to eat biryani."

Meanwhile, former Jharkhand CM and JMM executive president Hemant Soren has been sent to 5-day ED custody.

He was arrested by the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) in a money laundering case related to the alleged land scam on 31 January.

The former CM later moved the Supreme Court against his arrest, but the court refused to entertain his plea, challenging his arrest by the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) in the land deal case and asked him to approach the concerned High Court with his petition.

A bench of justices Sanjiv Khanna, MM Sundresh, and Bela M Trivedi said that they are not inclined to entertain the petition.

"We are not inclined to entertain the present petition," adding that it left open to petitioner to approach the jurisdictional HC. The top court also said that it is open for the petitioner to urge the high court to expeditiously decide the case," the court stated.

Soren challenged the ED's summons dated January 22, 2024, and January 25, 2024, purportedly issued under Section 50 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002, as illegal, null, and void, and accordingly quash the impugned summons and all steps taken and proceedings emanating therefrom.

The JMM