Earlier on Thursday, Additional Sessions Judge B R Kedia, who was to hear the arguments on the quantum of punishment to be awarded to Jharkhand Mukti Morcha chief and four others in the murder case of his private secretary, allowed the plea of convicts' counsel for the adjournment of the hearing till Thursday afternoon taking into account the Soren's plea that he was in the Intensive Care Unit of All India Institute of Medical Sciences.

Seeking adjournment, Soren's counsel R K Naseem, earlier informed the court that though it was the duty of the police to inform the court about actual position (of convicts) but as per his information, Soren was not keeping well and at present was in the ICU.

"Soren is undergoing medical tests for a heart ailment. It will take at least another two days for completion," AIIMS spokesperson Dr Shakti Gupta said.

The CBI, opposing the convicts' contention submitted that the arguments on the point of sentence might be heard in the absence of convicts and the court could reserve its order and pronounce the same as and when they appear before it.

The court had, on November 28, convicted former Union Minister Shibu Soren and four of his co-accused for conspiring to abduct and kill his private secretary Shashi Nath Jha twelve years ago.