VIJAY DEO JHA
Ranchi, May 5: After Chief Minister Hemant Soren, the Election Commission of India (ECI) is reported to have sent a show-cause notice to his brother and Dumka MLA Basant Soren in a matter related to the office of the profit.
It is said that Basant Soren has been asked to reply to the show-cause notice latest by May 12 as to why his membership of the Jharkhand assembly should not be terminated under section 9 A of the Representation of People’s Act as he is involved in private business.
BJP’s Godda MP Nishikant Dubey who tweeted the information said that he reliably came to know that a special messenger left for Bokaro to serve notice to Basant Soren.
However, talking to Lagatar24.com, the under-secretary of ECI, Pawan Diwan said that he has no information in this regard.
“I believe that the notice was sent to Chief Minister Hemant Soren. But I am not aware of any notice regarding the Dumka MLA. I will let you know if I confirm,” said Pawan Diwan. Later on, Pawan Diwan did not respond to phone calls and messages. Chief electoral officer of Jharkhand K. Ravikumar said that he was unaware of any notice to Basant Soren.
Notably, the ECI had sought a report from the office of Jharkhand’s chief secretary related to the mining firm Grands Mining Works LLP in which Basant Soren is said to be a partner besides whether or not any mining right was secured in the name of the company. Basant Soren is facing a similar allegation of misusing his office to obtain mining rights. On April 27, the report was sent to the ECI.
Hemant Soren is also bound to reply to the notice by May 10.
The ECI took up the matter after the BJP alleged that Basant Soren as an MLA continued private business and he used his influence to obtain mining and other business rights. Based on the documents, the ECI in the light of the Indian Constitution wants to examine whether such business comes under the definition of the office of profit. And, whether such public servants are liable to be disqualified as a member of the assembly under Article 192 of the Constitution.
Grands Mining Works is a Limited Liability Partnership firm incorporated on 17 February 2015. It is registered at the Registrar of Companies, Jharkhand. Designated Partners of Grands Mining Works LLP are Basant Soren, Narendra Singh, Suresh Kundlikrao Nagre and Bhupendra Kumar Singh. The company is based in Bokaro. Basant Soren is also a partner in two other companies namely Maa Bhadrakali Alloys Pvt Ltd and Accent Minmet Resources Private Limited. Nevertheless, Basant Soren in his 2016 Rajya Sabha election affidavit had mentioned having invested in Grands Mining Works LLP and Maa Bhadrakali Alloys Pvt Ltd.
Now the BJP baying for the blood of both brothers claimed that Basant Soren runs several companies and he has obtained mining rights by misusing his office.
