Champai Soren kept under surveillance by Jharkhand police for 5 months: Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma

Guwahati: Assam CM and BJP's in-charge for Jharkhand elections Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday claimed that Champai Soren, the former Jharkhand CM and presently a cabinet Minister, was kept on surveillance by Jharkhand police for the past five months.

Sarma said this came to light after two sub-inspectors of the special branch of Jharkhand police were caught from a hotel in New Delhi, where Soren was staying. "They confessed to have boarded the same flight for New Delhi. They were staying on the same floor of the hotel where Soren was staying. It's a case of espionage. Soren has filed an FIR with Chanakyapuri police station in New Delhi after two special branch police officers were caught from the same hotel," Sarma told reporters in Guwahati.

The claim came two days after Soren met Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Sarma in New Delhi, following which Assam CM said Soren would join BJP on August 30.

"Congress and JMM talks about protection of the Constitution. But they violate individual freedom by keeping surveillance on former CM and a cabinet Minister. It is one of the rarest cases of espionage in Indian politics. Is it not violating the privacy of an individual and freedom of liberty?" he said.

Sarma, who is BJP's election in-charge for Jharkhand, however, on Wednesday evaded a query on Soren's possibility to join BJP on August 30. Assembly elections in the state are likely to be conducted in November or December.

Soren was made the CM after JMM Chief Hemant Soren was arrested in an alleged money laundering case of the ED and jailed earlier this year. Hemant, however, took the charge after he was granted bail. This made Champai unhappy.