biswa-sarma-alleges-champai-soren-was-spied-on-by-police

Assam Chief Minister and F, Himanta Biswa Sarma, has alleged that former Jharkhand Chief Minister and current Hemant Soren-led Cabinet Minister Champai Soren was being spied upon by Jharkhand Police.

Speaking at a press conference in Assam on Wednesday, Biswa Sarma stated that two sub-inspectors from the Jharkhand Special Branch were apprehended by individuals accompanying Champai Soren and are now in the custody of Delhi Police.

During the interrogation, the officers named Prabhat Kumar, an Inspector General (IG) in the Jharkhand Police, as the one who ordered the surveillance.

According to Sarma, the Special Branch often engages in such activities, and it would be inappropriate to reveal the identities or pictures of the officers involved.

The sub-inspectors claimed that the order to spy came from a person holding a constitutional post. Sarma added that a woman was seen with the officials, raising the possibility of a honey trap conspiracy.

He stressed that these allegations are still under investigation and that the matter will be reported to the Governor in Ranchi on August 30.

Biswa Sarma further revealed that Champai Soren was in Delhi a week ago, staying for three days, and then returned on 26 August via Kolkata. Both times, he stayed at the Taj Hotel, accompanied by his personal assistant.

According to Sarma, Soren’s movements were being tracked, which he criticised as a harmful precedent.

He noted that the Special Branch officers were caught taking photographs and were handed over to Delhi Police by Soren's associates on Tuesday.

An FIR has been filed against the two officers, and investigations have confirmed that they are sub-inspectors with the Jharkhand Special Branch. Initially, they had misrepresented themselves as journalists.

Biswa Sarma questioned the conduct of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) and Congress, which often advocate for constitutional protection, asking how they would justify such surveillance.

"Is Champai Soren a separatist? Such actions are unacceptable in any civilised society," Sarma concluded.