BJP team meets Jharkhand guv, seeks CM’s dismissal over corruption allegations

The BJP on Thursday had accused Soren, who is also the working president of JMM, the lead partner in the JMM-Congress-RJD government, of misusing his office to get an in-principle approval for stone quarrying lease in his name on government land on the outskirts of Ranchi.

A Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) delegation led by two former chief ministers Babulal Marandi and Raghubar Das met Jharkhand governor Ramesh Bais on Friday, demanding the dismissal of incumbent chief minister Hemant Soren and the lodging of a criminal case against him over allegations of corruption.

A BJP delegation led by two former chief ministers Babulal Marandi and Raghubar Das met Jharkhand governor Ramesh Bais on Friday and demanded the dismissal of CM Hemant Soren over corruption allegations. (HT PHOTO.)

The BJP on Thursday had accused Soren, who is also the working president of JMM, the lead partner in the JMM-Congress-RJD government, of misusing his office to get an in-principle approval for stone quarrying lease in his name on government land on the outskirts of Ranchi. This, they alleged had also been cleared by the mines department which falls under the CM’s jurisdiction.

“He has misused his office by getting a stone mining lease for five years on government land in his name. Being the serving CM and also minister of the mines department, he has committed a criminal offence. The BJP delegation has urged the Governor to use his discretionary powers and dismiss him from office and also file a criminal case for corruption,” BJP legislature party leader and former CM Babulal Marandi told reporters outside Raj Bhawan after meeting Bais.

The JMM has not directly refuted the allegation and said they are seeking legal opinion on the allegations. Soren on Thursday said Das has no work and is therefore making such allegations.

Senior party leader Supriyo Bhattacharya maintained on Friday that a legal opinion was being sought over the issue.

Sharing documentary evidence with the media on Thursday, Das had alleged that by getting a stone mining lease in his name in Anagara block in Ranchi district, the CM has violated section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act and section 169 of the IPC.

“The land over which lease has been sanctioned is government land and granting it to a serving CM is illegal. This is also a violation of section 9 of the Representation of People’s Act, Hence Hemant Soren should be disqualified (as an MLA),” he added.