J’khand Guv meets senior govt officials, takes stock of security arrangements

Jharkhand Governor C P Radhakrishnan Tuesday met senior government officers and took stock of security arrangements in the wake of the unfolding political situation, following ED’s search at the Delhi residence of Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren, a top official said.

Radhakrishnan called Chief Secretary Lalbiaktluanga Khiangte, Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Avinash Kumar, among others, at the Raj Bhavan here, Director General of Police, Ajay Kumar Singh, told PTI.

Elaborate security arrangements have been made across the state to maintain law and order, including deployment of an additional 7,000 policemen, he said.

Prohibitory orders have also been imposed in key areas of Ranchi, including near the CM House, the Raj Bhavan and ED office at Doranda, from 10 am to 10 pm, officials said.

''We have promulgated prohibitory orders (under Section 144 of the CrPC) within a radius of 100 metres at CM House, the Raj Bhavan and ED office at Doranda,'' Sub-Divisional Magistrate (Ranchi) Utkarsh Kumar told PTI.

As part of the restrictions, demonstrations, rallies or meetings cannot be held in and around these areas.

''We have ensured that the law and order situation here is controlled. We have beefed up security in the state capital at these key installations in order to avoid assembly of people,'' said Avinash Kumar, Additional Chief Secretary (Home).

The ED has seized Rs 36 lakh, an SUV and some ''incriminating'' documents from Soren’s Delhi residence, officials said.

The federal agency searched the 5/1 Shanti Niketan residence of the JMM leader in south Delhi on Monday, and camped there for almost 13 hours in order to question him in a money laundering case linked to an alleged land deal in Jharkhand.

After hours of suspense over his whereabouts, Soren, 48, who is also the executive president of JMM, reached his official residence in Ranchi, where he is presently chairing a meeting of the ruling alliance MLAs, a source in the CMO said.

The chief minister had left for the national capital on January 27 night, while scheduled government events in the state stood cancelled without any explanation.