The Delhi High Court has put a halt to the Lokpal of India’s investigation into two properties allegedly linked to Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) president Shibu Soren. The court has ordered that no further steps be taken by the Lokpal until May 10. The court has also issued a notice to BJP MP Nishikant Dubey, who had filed the complaint against Soren, after the JMM challenged the Lokpal’s order directing the CBI to probe the properties.
The JMM contends that the two properties belong to the party, not Mr. Soren, and that the Lokpal’s order is beyond its jurisdiction under the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act. The party’s counsel argued that an inquiry under the statute could only be initiated against a person, not a political party, and since the CBI had already concluded in its earlier report that the properties belong to the JMM, the Lokpal’s order was outside the scope of the Act.
The Lokpal had initiated the probe into the alleged benami properties linked to Mr. Soren based on a complaint filed by Mr. Dubey and had directed the CBI to complete the investigation within six months. The case will be heard again on May 10.
