Babulal Marandi returns bulletproof SUV to Jharkhand government, seeks accountability over security vehicles
THE JHARKHAND STORY NETWORK Ranchi, November 9: Leader of the Opposition Babulal Marandi has decided to return the bulletproof vehicle provided to…
THE JHARKHAND STORY NETWORK
Ranchi, November 9: Leader of the Opposition Babulal Marandi has decided to return the bulletproof vehicle provided to him by the Jharkhand government, citing repeated breakdowns and alleged inaction despite several complaints to senior officials and Chief Minister Hemant Soren.
In a strongly worded letter to the Chief Minister, Marandi has asked the Home Department to formally take possession of the vehicle and acknowledge receipt of his letter. He has demanded that technically fit vehicles be provided immediately for him and the security personnel accompanying him.
Marandi has also sought a written account of the action taken on his earlier complaints within seven days. He questioned whether higher authorities had issued any instruction to prevent the replacement of his vehicle and demanded clarity on who was responsible for the delay.
The development comes days after former Chief Minister Arjun Munda raised concerns over the condition of vehicles deployed in his security convoy following an accident involving one of the vehicles near Chowka on November 6.
Marandi Says 13-Year-Old Bulletproof Safari Keeps Breaking Down
Recalling his earlier communication to the Chief Minister, Marandi said he had written directly to Hemant Soren on March 21, 2026, drawing attention to the condition of the bulletproof vehicles provided to former Chief Ministers.
According to Marandi, the Home Department had purchased 17 bulletproof vehicles in December 2024. Of these, three were allocated for the Chief Minister’s use and two for Raj Bhavan, while the remaining 12 were kept in the headquarters reserve for VIP movement.
He said that despite the availability of newly purchased vehicles, former Chief Ministers were being made to use vehicles that were 10 to 12 years old.
Marandi stated that the bulletproof Toyota Safari allocated to him was already 13 years old and frequently broke down while travelling.
He questioned the Chief Minister over the action taken on his March 21 letter, asking what instructions had been issued and what results had followed in the eight months since the complaint was made.
Security Personnel Also Travelling in Dilapidated Vehicles
Marandi said his private secretary, Rajendra Tiwari, had subsequently written to the Home Secretary, informing the department about the condition of the vehicles used in his security convoy.
According to the letter, the three Gypsy vehicles deployed for security personnel were also in a dilapidated condition and had covered more than four lakh kilometres.
He said the Director General of Police and the Inspector General of Police (Provision) had also been informed about the matter on several occasions. Marandi claimed that he had personally raised the issue with senior officials.
He argued that the government could no longer claim ignorance about the condition of the vehicles.
Questions Who Is Blocking Replacement of Vehicles
One of the most pointed aspects of Marandi’s letter concerns what he described as informal indications from officials that the replacement of his vehicle was being blocked from “above”.
He has asked Chief Minister Hemant Soren to clarify who was issuing such instructions, under what authority and on what grounds.
Marandi said that if no such instruction existed, the government should explain why officials were invoking an unnamed higher authority to delay the decision.
He urged the Chief Minister to call for the relevant Home Department files and examine which officials had received the complaints, what remarks they had recorded and where the decision had become pending.
Cites Arjun Munda’s Complaints and Convoy Accident
Marandi also referred to former Chief Minister Arjun Munda’s complaints about the condition of his security vehicles.
According to Marandi’s letter, Munda’s office had sent six communications to the authorities between July 2024 and June 2026. He also referred to a Home Department communication dated March 14, 2026, which had reportedly directed officials to take necessary action.
Despite these communications, Marandi said, the complaints continued.
He further mentioned the accident involving a vehicle in Munda’s security convoy near Chowka on the night of November 6.
Marandi said the exact cause of that accident would be determined through a technical investigation. However, he questioned what action the government had taken after receiving six complaints and issuing its own departmental communication.
Seeks Technical Inspection Reports and Accountability
Marandi has demanded details of the number of bulletproof vehicles purchased by the government that are currently in use, the number required to be kept in reserve and the decisions taken regarding vehicles that have repeatedly developed mechanical problems.
He has also asked the government to provide the date of the last technical inspection of the vehicle allocated to him, a copy of the inspection report and the designation of the official who approved it for security duty.
Questioning the apparent difference between the availability of new vehicles for the Chief Minister and the condition of vehicles used by former Chief Ministers in the Opposition, Marandi said the circumstances could give rise to concerns about political discrimination.
He has sought an explanation based on official records.
Demands Replacement Vehicles Within Seven Days
While returning the bulletproof vehicle, Marandi clarified that the responsibility for maintaining his approved security arrangements continued to rest with the state government.
He has asked the Home Department to immediately provide technically inspected and suitable vehicles for him and the security personnel accompanying him.
He has also demanded a uniform review of the security vehicles used by all former Chief Ministers.
In addition, he has sought a written account within seven days of the action taken on his earlier letter to the Chief Minister and the complaints submitted by his office.
‘One Day You Will Also Be a Former Chief Minister’
In the concluding portion of his letter, Marandi made a pointed appeal to Hemant Soren, reminding him that the office of Chief Minister was not permanent.
“We are not sitting in the Chief Minister’s chair after drinking nectar of immortality. I too once sat in this very chair and listened to the explanations of officials whose answers I am now waiting for,” Marandi wrote.
He added that one day Hemant Soren would also be addressed as a former Chief Minister and asked him to consider how he would react if his vehicle broke down on the road and an official told him that its replacement had been blocked by orders from “above”.
Marandi said the Chief Minister had the authority to resolve the issue now and should provide an answer based on the government’s records.
