Soren acquitted in last of three cases of murder

GIRIDIH(JHARKHAND): Former Jharkhand chief minister Shibu Soren was on Tuesday acquitted in a 36-year-old murder case, the last of the three cases of murder against him, by a local court for lack of evidence.

Soren, who appeared before the court of Additional District Judge (9th-fast track), Mohammad Qasim, in person looked relieved after the verdict.

The court had reserved its judgement on June three. The case related to an FIR filed on April 15, 1974, by one Bahadur Singh who had accused Soren of leading a group that killed two persons, Khirodar Singh and Chundi Singh, following the slaughter of a goat at Kudko village under Pirtand police station in Giridih district.

The chargesheet was filed in 1978. Eight of the accused were acquitted in 1986. Soren was the sole accused remaining.

Soren was earlier acquitted in the 1975 Chirrudih massacre case in which 19 persons were killed at Chirudih village of Jamtara district on January 23, 1975, by a mob.

Soren was accused of inciting the mob to kill 'dikus', or outsiders, following a movement launched by the JMM chief to drive them away.