A court in Jamtara Tuesday issued a production warrant against jailed Jharkhand Mukti Morcha chief Shibu Soren for appearing before it on January 5 in connection with the three-decade-old Chirrudih massacre case.

Additional District and Sessions Judge Arun Kumar allowed an application by Soren's counsel B N Majhi, who sought the production warrant as his client could not appear on Tuesday as he is being held in Tihar Jail in Delhi following his conviction for involvement in the murder of his secretary.

"The court issued the production warrant after we filed an application," Majhi told PTI on phone from Jamtara. So far, 17 of the 35 witnesses have deposed before the court in connection with the Chirrudih incident in which 10 people were killed.

Giridih's additional sessions judge R M Tiwari had on December 4 issued a production warrant after the defence said Soren could not appear on that date as he was in Tihar Jail. The court in Giridih fixed December 21 as the next date for hearing in a triple-murder case of 1974 at Kudkko in the district. Both production warrants will be sent to Tihar Jail's superintendent, Majhi said.

Soren along with some others are facing the charge of killing ten persons in Chirrudih.