Shibu Soren runs into fresh controversy

RANCHI: Jharkhand Chief Minister Shibu Soren has run into a fresh controversy with former Chief Minister Babulal Marandi alleging that he has links with the chief of an outlawed extremist outfit in the state.

Marandi, who is also heading the Jharkhand Vikas Morcha (P), is demanding a CBI inquiry into the matter in the wake of reports of one hardcore member of the Jharkhand Liberation Tigers (JLT) that Soren is in touch with the head of JLT.
JLT is splinter group of the outlawed Communist Party of India (Maoist) in the state.

After being caught by the police, Lorence Mundari alias Carlos has claimed before the media that Soren and Dinesh Gope, supremo of JLT, were in regular contact. However, the Chief Minister's office has dismissed the allegations.

Soren's press advisor Shafique Ansari said, it's an attempt to malign the image of the Chief Minister. According to reports, Marandi said he will write to the Prime Minister and Home Minister seeking a CBI probe into the matter.

Marandi said, "There are several instances when extremists after being caught by the police have revealed their connections with various political leaders in the State but nothing has been done."

He has been insisting that the Congress-led coalition at the Centre should not take the matter lightly as the issue is far more serious this time as the Chief Minister of the State has been charged with having connection with an extremist outfit.

Controversies are not new to Soren who was accused in the JMM MPs bribery case and had also suffered imprisonment for some time in the Shashinath Jha murder case. However, a higher court later acquitted him.