Page 30 - Jharkhand

Jharkhand HC dismisses Hemant Soren's petition against ED summons

The Jharkhand High Court on Friday dismissed a petition filed by Chief Minister Hemant Soren, challenging issuance of summons by the ED to him in a case of alleged money laundering. A bench of Chief Justice Sanjaya Kumar Mishra and Justice Ananda Sen observed that the period of appearance in the summons has already lapsed and hence, there is no merit in the case. The Enforcement Directorate had sent summons to Soren to depose at the federal agency's office in Ranchi on August 14 and on a later date to record his statement under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. Soren had stated in his petition that the summons issued to him by the probe agency were unwarranted. The chief minister moved the high court after the Supreme Court refused to entertain his plea on the summons. A bench of Justice Aniruddha Bose and Justice Bela M Trivedi, however, had granted him the liberty to approach the Jharkhand High Court for relief in the matter.

Jharkhand CM lays foundation stone of Rs 484 crore lift irrigation project

Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Monday laid the foundation stone of a Rs 484-crore mega lift irrigation project aimed at encouraging farming in the state. The project, expected to be completed in two-and-half years, would benefit around 1.11 lakh farmers across three assembly constituencies - Sarath, Madhupur and Jamtara, he said. Our government is committed to increase farmers' income. This project will encourage farming with robust irrigation facility, Soren said. It is the second such mega project to come up in Jharkhand, after the Masaliya' in Dumka. Similar lift irrigation initiatives will also be taken in Palamu, Giridih and Jamshedpur districts. I believe Jharkhand can progress only when its rural economy and farmers are strengthened, the chief minister said. Kisan Pathshalas' are being opened in every district, where farmers would be taught about new techniques of farming, he added. The project would help irrigate 13,164 hectares of land, and benefit 1.11 lakh fa

10 Bajrang Dal activists including women injured in Hazaribag stone-pelting

At least 10 Bajrang Dal activists including women were injured when their bus was pelted with stones by a mob while they were returning to Hazaribag after participating in the 'Shourya Jagaran Yatra Programme' at Ranchi, police said on Monday. The incident took place near a mosque in Pelawal area near Hazaribag at about 8.45 pm on Sunday. Hazaribag Superintendent of Police, Manoj Ratan Chothe told PTI that no arrests have been made so far but the miscreants of both the groups involved in the incident have been identified and FIRs would be lodged against the persons involved. The SP said arrests would be made based on investigations as members of a particular community who pelted stones have alleged that the bus stopped in front of the mosques and the passengers shouted 'Jai Shri Ram' and other religious and objectionable slogans. He said the incident occurred in front of a mosque at Pelawal near Hazaribag town while the passengers of the bus were returning to Katkamsandi about 30 k

J'khand govt gives nod to declare cancer, rabies as notifiable diseases

The Jharkhand cabinet on Thursday approved a proposal to declare cancer and rabies as notifiable diseases, which will pave the way for a database for such ailments. State cabinet secretary Vandana Dadel said, With the declaration of cancer and rabies as notifiable diseases, private and state-run hospitals, which are treating patients of such diseases, will have to inform the government so that a database can be created. It would also help draft long-term policy in future." The council of ministers also gave its nod to the Mukhyamantri Panchayat Protsahan Yojana and Swachh and Swasthya Panchayat Protsahan Yojana, under which 24 best gram panchayats from over 4,300 such institutions in 24 districts would be selected and honoured with Rs 10 lakh each. Dadel said that five block panchayats from five divisions of Jharkhand would also be selected and would be given Rs 15 lakh each as a reward. Under Gram Sabha Protsaha Purashkar, Rs 4 lakh will be given to 48 gram sabhas. Besides, two zi

Heavy rain, lightning kills 8 people in Jharkhand in last 24 hrs: Official

At least eight people were killed including one in Ranchi due to heavy rain and lightning strikes in Jharkhand in the last 24 hours, an official said on Monday. Parts of Jharkhand have been receiving incessant rains since Saturday evening with several spells of heavy rains, which damaged several culverts, diversions and also claimed several lives. A 28-year-old man fell in an overflowing drain in Hatma Saraitand in Ranchi's Lalpur area on Sunday. The body of the person, identified as Dev Prasad alias Chotu, was recovered around 2.5 km away from the place of occurrence on Monday morning. "The body of the person was recovered this morning and postmortem has also been carried out. He had fallen in an overflowing drain triggered by heavy rain on Sunday," Gonda police station in-charge Ravi Thakur told PTI. In Jhakhand's Jamtara district, a woman and her three children, aged between one-and-a-half years and seven years, were killed in lightning strike on Sunday, police said. The inciden

One has to face consequences for mistakes: Guv on Soren's mining lease case

Jharkhand Governor C P Radhakrishnan on Sunday said one has to face consequences for one's actions, referring to the mining lease case involving Chief Minister Hemant Soren. In an interview to PTI, Radhakrishnan also stressed on the need for stern action against organised crime and Naxalism in the state, expressing strong displeasure over the manner in which criminal gangs were operating from jail and security personnel were being killed by red rebels. He termed the criminal activities from prisons and the killing of security personnel by Naxals as 'worrisome and painful. The governor also asserted that "one should be ready to face the consequences for their actions", stating that "sensational issues cannot be addressed in haste" while talking about the illegal mining case involving Chief Minister Hemant Soren. Denying allegations of a partisan role by the chair, Radhakrishnan also made it clear that he is not against any reservation but as a custodian of the Constitution, he canno

Jharkhand: Naxalite wanted in several cases arrested in Hazaribag

A Naxalite wanted in several cases was arrested in Jharkhand's Hazaribag district, police said on Thursday. Nitesh Kumar Mehta, a member of the Tritiya Prastuti Committee, was arrested from the Barkagaon police station area, they said. He was a "terror" in Chatra and Hazaribag districts, and was on the run for the last three years, they added. He was arrested from his sister's house where he came to celebrate Karam Puja, Sub-Divisional Police Officer Amit Kumar Singh said. Mehta was wanted in more than six cases, including those of extortion, he said. A court sent him to judicial custody on Wednesday, he added.

Soren writes to PM, seeks recognition of Sarna religious code for tribals

Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Wednesday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, seeking recognition of the Sarna' religious code for tribals. Soren said the population of tribals in the state has declined to 26 per cent from 38 per cent in the last eight decades. "The concern of protecting the traditional religious existence of tribals... is certainly a serious question. Today, the demand for Tribal/Sarna Religious Code is being raised so that this nature-worshipping tribal community can be confident about its identity. "At present, when the demand for Uniform Civil Code is being raised by some organisations, positive initiative on this demand of Tribal/Sarna community is absolutely necessary for their protection," Soren said in the letter to Modi. Earlier, the Jharkhand Assembly had unanimously passed a resolution for inclusion of Sarna' as a separate religion in the census.

4 vehicles torched, pvt firm's employees assaulted by Maoists in J'khand

At least four vehicles were torched and employees of a private firm assaulted at a railway construction site by members of the banned CPI (Maoist) in Jharkhand's Latehar district, police said. The incident occurred near Chatti river bridge in Chandwa on Monday evening, they added. The police said a group of Maoists set three heavy vehicles and a car on fire and assaulted the employees of the firm. A team of police personnel reached the spot and started an investigation. The incident occurred exactly a month after six vehicles were torched and two employees of a private road construction company were assaulted by members of the outlawed CPI (Maoist) in Palamu district.

Vande Bharat Express ticket prices should be reduced: JMM MP Maji

"If this Vande Bharat train is for the people and we want them to travel by Vande Bharat, it is necessary that the fare prices should be reduced," Mahua Maji said

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SC refuses to entertain Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren's plea against ED summons

The Supreme Court on Monday refused to entertain Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren's plea against the Enforcement Directorate's (ED) summons in a case of alleged money laundering. A bench of Justice Aniruddha Bose and Justice Bela M Trivedi granted Soren the liberty to approach the Jharkhand High Court for relief in the matter. Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi claimed in the court that this is a complete case of a witch-hunt. "Mr Rohatgi, why don't you go to the high court? No no, go to the high court. We will permit you to withdraw," the bench said. The matter was dismissed as withdrawn. Additional Solicitor General S V Raju, appearing for the ED, submitted that the issue is covered by a large number of judgments. Soren has moved the apex court challenging the summons sent to him to depose at the federal agency's office in Ranchi on August 14 and record his statement under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. Earlier, Soren had skipped the ED's summons in an alleged defence

J'khand to restrict setting up of coke units in Dhanbad to combat pollution

In a bid to improve the air quality of Jharkhand's Dhanbad district, no new hard or soft coke units will be allowed there from October 1, a state pollution board official said on Sunday. The Jharkhand State Pollution Control Board (JSPCB) issued an order in this regard early this week. "This is a temporary restriction, which will remain in force till the Air Quality Index (AQI) falls within the permission limit prescribed by the Central Pollution Control Board in Dhanbad district," JSPCB member secretary YK Das told PTI. However, this order will not impact the existing hard or soft coke units of the district. "They will be operating as usual by following the compliance guideline," he said. According to the order issued by the JSPCB, "The applications seeking Consent to Establish (CTE), which will be received till September 30, will be reviewed. If any error was found in them, the applications will be cancelled and no further action will be taken on those applications." According t

Dhoni gives young cricketer lift on bike after training session in Ranchi

The viral video shows MS Dhoni finishing his training session and giving a lift to a youngster on his motorcycle Yamaha RD350

Jharkhand CM Soren's plea against ED summons to be heard on Sept 18

The Supreme Court on Friday adjourned to September 18 the hearing on Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren's plea against the Enforcement Directorate's (ED) summons in an alleged money laundering case. A bench of Justices Aniruddha Bose and Bela M Trivedi deferred the matter after it was informed that senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi would appear in the matter for Soren. "I am requesting the matter be heard on Monday. Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi is leading us," a junior counsel said. The bench agreed to the submission. Soren has moved the apex court challenging the summons sent to him to depose on August 14 at the federal agency's office in Ranchi and record his statement under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. Earlier, Soren had skipped the ED summons in an alleged defence land scam case citing pre-scheduled events. The 48-year-old Jharkhand Mukti Morcha leader was interrogated for over nine hours by the ED on November 17 last year in connection with another money launderin

HC sets deadline for forming panel to ensure return of funds by chit-funds

The Jharkhand High Court has set a deadline of 45 days for the state government to form a high-level committee to ensure the return of funds invested by people in various chit-fund companies. A division bench of Chief Justice Sanjaya Kumar Mishra and Justice Ananda Sen while hearing a petition filed by the Non-Banking Abhiraksha Suraksha Samiti ordered the government to issue a notification informing formation of a high-level committee within the deadline set by it. The bench also specified that the high-level committee will be headed by a former chief justice of the high court. Other members of the committee will be the secretary of the Board of Revenue and a DIG ranked officer of the CBI, the court said in its order on Monday. The Committee will work and start planning on how to ensure the return of money to investors who were duped by various chit-fund companies which are being investigated by the CBI. The court will hear the matter again on November 8. Earlier, the court had

ITC launches dairy products in Jharkhand under 'Aashirvaad Svasti' brand

Diversified city-based conglomerate ITC Limited Monday announced its entry in the dairy business in Jharkhand with the launch of various products under its 'Aashirvaad Svasti' brand. The company will offer a slew of dairy products like milk, curd, paneer, lassi and 'mishti doi' (sweet curd) to the consumers of the state, a company statement said. Sanjay Singal, ITC chief operating officer (dairy and beverages), said the company has expanded its milk-based offerings to Jharkhand after establishing a strong brand presence in Bihar and West Bengal. "The dairy products offered by the company are differentiated and innovative and have become an established brand in these two states within a short span of five years," he said in the statement. The Aashirvaad Svasti dairy products will be available across 2000 general and modern trade outlets across Jharkhand, it added.

64.84% voter turnout recorded in Jharkhand's Dumri assembly: Official

A total 64.84 per cent of 2.98 lakh voters exercised their franchise in the by-election to Dumri assembly seat in Jharkhand on Tuesday, an official of the Election Commision said. The polling percentage was slightly less than in 2019 when 69.74 per cent of the electorate cast their votes. "The election passed off peacefully across 199 polling booths in Giridih and 174 booths in Bokaro district. No report of violence or law and order situation was reported from anywhere," Giridih district election officer Naman Priyesh Lakra told PTI. The polling was held amidst tight security in 373 polling stations, 200 of which were identified to be Maoist affected area. The Jharkhand Armed Police and CRPF were deployed to ensure peaceful polling, the polling official said. The voters braved intermittent rains and queued up at the polling booths to decide the fate of six candidates, including three independents. The ruling JMM CANDIDATE supported by the INDIA bloc and Ajsu Party contestant suppor

AYUSH Jharkhand allegedly hacked, records of 320,000 patients leaked

CloudSEK in its report also warned that the leaked data could enable account takeovers

Seven Assembly seats across six states to go to bypolls on September 5

The seats to go to polls include Dumri in Jharkhand, Puthuppally in Kerala, Boxanagar and Dhanpur in Tripura, Bageshwar in Uttarakhand, Ghosi in Uttar Pradesh, and Dhupguri in West Bengal