The Delhi High Court today acquitted former Union Minister Shibu Soren in connection with the murder of his private secretary Shashi Nath Jha in 1994 after slamming the CBI for failing “miserably” in getting evidence against the JMM leader.

Setting aside the trial court order, which had sentenced Soren and four others to life term, the Bench of Justice R S Sodhi and H R Malhotra said the CBI had “miserably failed” to prove the case.

“We set aside the order of the trial court,” the Bench said, observing that that CBI was not able to prove that the body exhumed was that of Jha. The Bench also held that “the trial court order is far from convincing”.

The court also acquitted four others — Nand Kishore Mehta, Shailendra Bhattacharya, Pashupati Nath Mehta and Ajay Kumar Mehta — of all charges on the same grounds.

Soren, who had to quit as Union Coal Minister following his conviction on November 28 last year, is at present lodged at Jamtara prison in Jharkhand in connection with the Chirudih massacre case.

“This is good news. We will now win the Lok Sabha by-election in Jharkhand,” Parliamentary Affairs Minister P R Dasmunsi said. Asked whether Soren would be re-inducted, he said: “You should ask those who take the decision.”

But Jha’s family said they would challenge the High Court verdict in the Supreme Court. “We will not spare them,” said Preeti, Jha’s daughter, after the verdict was pronounced.