Jharkhand Police’s intelligence wing spied on Champai Soren: Himanta Biswa Sarma
Sarma said two officers allegedly spying on Soren were detained in Delhi and admitted to working at the behest of a “senior person” holding a “constitutional post” in Jharkhand
Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday claimed two officers of Jharkhand Police’s intelligence wing allegedly spying on Champai Soren during his visits to New Delhi ahead of the latter’s induction into the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) were detained and admitted to be working at the behest of a “senior person” holding a “constitutional post” in their state.
He said a woman was also with the two and added there could have been a plan to trap Soren. Sarma added the two were taking photographs of Soren’s hotel room in the national capital when the former Jharkhand chief minister’s aides caught them and handed them over to Delhi Police. “It was revealed that they are sub-inspectors of the Jharkhand [Police] special branch who were allegedly entrusted to follow Soren and track his movements,” said Sarma, who is the BJP’s co-in charge for poll-bound Jharkhand.
Sarma said the sub-inspectors told their interrogators that they flew to Delhi on the same flight as Soren from Kolkata and stayed in a room close to that of the Jharkhand leader at the hotel in the national capital. “They admitted that they had been following Soren for some time with instructions from a very senior person in Jharkhand holding a constitutional post.”
Sarma said a former chief minister government’s was spying on him and called it unprecedented. “I suspect even his phone may have been tapped. Is Soren an extremist? He is a very senior adivasi [tribal] leader.”
Sarma attacked Jharkhand’s ruling Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM)-Congress coalition and said they always talk about protecting the Constitution. “Is this the kind of thing expected from such parties?”
Soren this week announced he would join the BJP, ending a week-long suspense ahead of assembly polls in Jharkhand. His defection was speculated since August 20 when he criticised the JMM leadership.
Champai Soren claimed he was removed disrespectfully as the chief minister when he handed over the reins to Hemant Soren on July 3 after the latter’s release on bail after five months.
Champai Soren, who remained a member of the Hemant Soren Cabinet, met Union home minister Amit Shah in New Delhi late on Monday. Sarma was also present at the meeting.
He said he was making a new beginning after thinking of retiring from politics. Champai Soren added after talking with his supporters, he also thought of forming a new party. He cited “the time factor” and the prevailing situation in Jharkhand and added he decided to join the BJP drawing inspiration from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Shah’s leadership.