Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday alleged that senior Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) leader Champai Soren was being closely monitored by Jharkhand police ahead of his defection to the BJP.
The claim comes a day after Sarma announced that Soren would officially join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on August 30.
“Champai Soren has decided to join the BJP. Till the time he does not resign, he is a minister in the Jharkhand government and also the former chief minister,” Sarma said.
He claimed that Soren had recently visited Delhi, and during both his visits, he was followed by Jharkhand’s Special Branch Police.
“A week ago, he had gone to Delhi and he spent three days. Again on August 26, he had gone to Delhi. He stayed at the Taj Hotel during both his visits. But yesterday, it came to light that both times he went to Delhi, Jharkhand’s Special Branch Police followed him,” Sarma said.
The Assam chief minister also went on to claim that two Special Branch personnel, who were allegedly tailing Soren in Delhi, were detained by local police.
“Two Special Branch personnel, who were allegedly following Champai Soren, were detained by Delhi police. Both the policemen admitted that they were assigned the task of tracking Champai Soren wherever he went in Jharkhand and even in Delhi,” he added.
Expressing concern over the possibility of deeper surveillance, Sarma said, “I still doubt that maybe his phone is also tapped.”
So far, there has been no official response from the Jharkhand government or its Special Branch regarding the allegations made by Sarma.