The Jharkhand High Court today granted bail to former Union minister and JMM leader Shibu Soren in both the Chirrudih massacre and the Kudco murder cases, saying no purpose would be served by detaining him.‘‘What will you do by keeping him in jail,’’ Justice Tapen Sen asked General Prosecutor (GP) R.R. Mishra and ordered that Soren be released on bail on a surety of Rs 1.5 lakh. The JMM leader has also been asked to sign an undertaking that he will face trial, appear before the court when asked to, not make any attempt to influence it, not leave the country unless permitted by it, not obstruct the process of trial or browbeat the court in any manner whatsoever, not misuse the privilege of bail granted to him and surrender his passport.‘‘If any of these conditions is flouted, his bail will be withdrawn and he will be taken into custody again,’’ said Justice Sen.Jubilant JMM cadres, who had gathered outside the court premises, hugged each other and distributed sweets to celebrate the court order.The former minister’s son, Hemant, who was present in the court when the order came, told The Indian Express: ‘‘We always had faith in the judiciary. We have got justice. We are very happy.’’Soren had been remanded to judicial custody in the Chirrudih massacre case by the Jamtara court on August 2, and denied bail in the Kudco murder case by the Giridih court on August 13.
