Ignored my advice, landed in jail: JMM’s Lobin Hembrom on Hemant Soren arrest

Ranchi, Feb 4 (PTI) A day before the Champai Soren government in Jharkhand is scheduled to face a floor test, senior JMM leader Lobin Hembrom on Sunday claimed that wrong advice led to Hemant Soren's arrest by the ED.

Hemant Soren, the former chief minister, has been arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in a money laundering case.

"Hemant Soren repeatedly ignored my advice and eventually landed in jail... he has always been surrounded by wrong advisors," Hembrom a lawmaker from Borio seat in Sahibganj district, told reporters.

Hembrom squarely blamed Hemant Soren's personal and media advisors, besides advisors from Jharkhand Mukti Morcha for his plight.

He also objected to the move by the JMM-led alliance to shift MLAs to Hyderabad.

Hembrom expressed displeasure over "such expenditure at a time when Jharkhand's majority populace struggled to meet both ends".

He also demanded the implementation of the Chota Nagpur Tenancy Act and Santhal Parganas Tenancy Act. Both the Acts prohibit the sale of tribal land to non-tribals.

Hembrom also demanded a ban on liquor sale in the state.

On his participation in the floor test on Monday, Hembrom said he would support the Champai Soren government.

The Champai Soren-led coalition government in Jharkhand will seek a vote of trust on February 5 during a special two-day assembly session.

JMM legislature party leader Champai Soren took oath as the chief minister on Friday after Hemant Soren was arrested by the ED on Wednesday in a money laundering case.

A special PMLA (Prevention of Money Laundering Act) court has allowed him to participate in the trust vote sought by the new government.

He was remanded to ED custody for five days by the court on Friday.

The alliance, between the JMM, Congress and RJD, has 47 MLAs in the 81-member Jharkhand assembly and is supported from outside by the lone CPIML (L) legislator. PTI