Delhi HC refuses to interfere with Lokpal proceedings against Shibu Soren

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Monday refused to interfere with the proceedings initiated against Jharkhand Mukti Morcha chief Shibu Soren by the Lokpal on the basis of a complaint by BJP MP Nishikant Dubey.

Justice Subramonium Prasad said the former Jharkhand chief minister's petition challenging the Lokpal proceedings as well as the complaint was 'premature'.

It is premature at this juncture, the judge stated while delivering the verdict on Soren's petition.

A copy of the judgement is awaited.

In the complaint made in August 2020, Dubey, the BJP Lok Sabha MP from Jharkhand's Godda seat, claimed “Shibu Soren and his family members acquired huge wealth and properties by misusing the public exchequer and have been grossly indulged in corruption”.

On September 12, 2022, the high court had stayed the Lokpal proceedings and said the matter required consideration.

Assailing the complaint as well as the Lokpal proceedings, Soren argued before the high court that the case against him was 'purely malafide' and 'politically motivated'.

He argued the complaint could not have been entertained by the anti-corruption ombudsman as the allegations pertained to a time which was seven years before the date of submission of the complaint.

In terms of provisions under Section 53 of the Lokpal and Lokayukta Act, 2013, a complaint cannot be made after the expiry of seven years from the date on which the offence mentioned in the complaint is alleged to have been committed.

In response, the Lokpal said the proceedings were being conducted as per the law and the complaint was still “open to adjudication” as “no final view has been formed” and it “cannot comment on the merit of the complaint at this stage”.

It said the Lokpal was established to look into allegations of corruption against public functionaries in line with the country's commitment to the policy of “zero corruption”. A complaint, it said, need not be 'rejected at threshold'.