Himanta Biswa Sarma Accuses Jharkhand CM Of Snooping On Champai Soren, Claims Special Branch Sub-Inspectors Were Deployed

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has accused Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren of snooping on a minister of his government, Champai Soren, who is set to join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Sarma claimed that when Champai Soren went to New Delhi twice in the past few days and stayed at the Taj Hotel, during both these events, the Special Branch of Jharkhand Police was following him.

"The aides of Champai Soren caught two Jharkhand Police personnel clicking photos and handed them over to Delhi Police. An FIR has been filed by Champai Soren in this regard," the Assam CM elaborated.

He alleged that these two persons followed Soren from Kolkata and booked a room near his to keep an eye on. Later, it was found that they were sub-inspectors in the Special Branch of Jharkhand Police.

"Earlier, they claimed that they were journalists. They revealed that they had been tracking Champai Soren for many days in Jharkhand, as well as Delhi. They have named IG Prabhat Kumar," Sarma said.

Kumar is the Additional Director General of Police for the Special Branch. Sarma did not reveal the identity of the two police sub-inspectors caught citing security reasons.

"It has never happened in independent India that a Chief Minister has snooped on his Cabinet Minister. This is a very big issue violating privacy. The two persons are in Delhi Police's custody," he added.

Sarma also suspected that Soren's phone might also have been tapped and questioned why the Jharkhand government was keen to fund the five-star stays and flight travels to keep an eye on Soren.