Jharkhand HC Imposes Rs 1.25 Lakh Fine On Union Minister Arjun Munda For Failure To Rectify Errors In Quashing Plea But Stays Coercive Action

Justice Rajesh Kumar said, "Defect(s) pointed out by the office is/are, hereby ignored, subject to payment of Rs.1,25,000/- in favour of Advocates' Clerks Association, Jharkhand High Court, Ranchi." 

However, the court granted interim relief to Munda by staying coercive action against him. The case is scheduled for the next hearing on May 8.

The case pertains to a plea filed by Munda challenging an FIR registered against him and other BJP workers for an alleged altercation with the police during a march to the secretariat on April 11, 2023.

Munda contended that the FIR amounted to malicious prosecution and that no offence was made out against him.

The FIR was lodged at the Dhurwa police station following a clash between the police and BJP workers who were marching towards the secretariat. Among the 41 individuals named in the FIR were Union Minister Arjun Munda, former Chief Ministers Babulal Marandi and Raghubar Das, Chatra MP Sunil Kumar Singh, MLA Amit Mandal, Sameer Oraon, and MP Nishikant Dubey. Munda had approached the High Court seeking the quashing of the FIR.