Shibu Soren appears before new court, fresh hearing in Kudko case

Jharkhand chief minister Shibu Soren today appeared before a new court which will hear afresh the 36-year old Kudko murder case, a day after the case was transfered from the court which had its concluded hearing on April 3 and had reserved the judgement.

The court of additional district and sessions judge Mohammad Qasim said it would hear the case afresh and set May 15 for hearing into the double murder case.

On April 3, first additional district sessions judge NN Singh concluded the hearing and fixed today to pronounce judgement.
    
However, Singh on Thursday made a request to the District and Sessions Judge Sanjay Prasad for transfer of the case from his court to any other court "due to some reasons".
 
A court order to this effect was released and the case was transferred to court of Mohammad Qasim.
    
The case dates back to April 15, 1974 when Bahadur Singh filed an FIR accusing Soren of heading a group that allegedly killed Khirodar Singh and Chundi Singh following slaughter of a goat at Kudko village under Pirtand police station. The
chargesheet was filed in 1978.

Soren is the sole accused in this case after eight other accused were acquitted in 1986.