Ranchi: JMM (Jharkhand Mukti Morcha) chief Sibu Soren, in hiding since the issuance of an arrest warrant against him on July 17 in connection with the Chiruddih massacre in 1975, appeared before the public for the first time today (Jul 30, 2004) at his son's residence in Ranchi.

''I was always with the people and I have come before you today. I was waiting for the Jharkhand High Court order and it came yesterday,'' Soren said when queried by newsmen about his long hiding.

''The court has given me time till August 2 and I will consult with my lawyers before deciding on the matter,'' said Soren, who met the reporters at the residence of his son Durga, a JMM MLA in the Jharkhand Assembly.

''I was part of the Jharkhand Statehood struggle all along but the NDA (National Democratic Alliance) Government here tried to implicate despite saying that it would withdraw all cases relating to it,'' he said.

On the future course of action, he said, ''I will have a talk with my partymen.''

A number of JMM members were present at the venue when Soren made his reappearance.

Soren reappeared before the public a day after a division bench of the Jharkhand High Court ordered him to surrender before the Jamtara sub-divisional magistrate's court on or before August 2 failing which action would be taken against him.

Soren, had resigned from the Union Cabinet last week while in hiding after the issuance of the arrest warrant.