BJP attacks Soren family on apex court verdict, Lokpal direction; JMM, Congress keep mum

In a landmark verdict overturning its 1998 judgment, the Supreme Court on Monday ruled MPs and MLAs taking bribe to vote or make a speech inside the legislature are not immune from prosecution. Lokpal directed the CBI to probe within six months alleged benami properties linked to Shibu Soren.

Ranchi: Hours after the Supreme Court's judgment on 'bribe to vote' and the subsequent directive from the anti-corruption ombudsman Lokpal to the CBI to investigate the alleged benami properties of JMM chief Shibu Soren, the Jharkhand BJP on Monday said the political countdown of the Soren family has commenced.

However, the ruling alliance partners, JMM and Congress, maintained silence on it.

"The SC ruling and Lokpal direction will impact the Soren family in Jharkhand. The political countdown of Soren family has begun. Corruption has no place in Modi’s new India," BJP spokesperson Pratul Shahdeo said.

In a landmark verdict overturning its 1998 judgment, the Supreme Court on Monday ruled MPs and MLAs taking bribe to vote or make a speech inside the legislature are not immune from prosecution.

Stating that 'corruption and bribery by members of the legislatures erode probity in public life', the apex court held that a five-judge bench's interpretation in the 1998 verdict in the JMM bribery case was contrary to Articles 105 and 194 of the Constitution. Both the Articles deal with the powers and privileges of MPs and MLAs in the Parliament and legislative assemblies.

Anti-corruption ombudsman Lokpal directed the CBI to probe within six months alleged benami properties linked to Shibu Soren.

Shahdeo said both the rulings came on the day when Kalpana Soren, wife of jailed former chief minister Hemant Soren, made her political debut.

JMM MLA Sudivya Kumar refused to comment on the issue, saying he is unaware of the development.

"I am an MLA, I speak in the House. You should talk to party spokesperson on the issue," he said.

JMM’s two general secretaries-cum-spokespersons Supriyo Bhattacharya and Vinod Kumar Pandey and spokesperson Manoj Pandey did not respond to repeated calls and messages by PTI.

Jharkhand Congress president Rajesh Thakur also did not take calls.