Cong committee seeks reply from three suspended MLAs

Ranchi: A six-member disciplinary committee of the state Congress on Tuesday asked the three suspended MLAs — Irfan Ansari (Jamtara), Naman Bixal Kongari (Kolebira) and Rajesh Kachchap (Khijri) — to submit their replies via courier, mail, fax or Whatsapp at the earliest so that they can take a further call on their position within the party. All three are accused of trying to topple Hemant Soren government at the behest of BJP.
On July 30, Bengal police arrested them in Howrah along with cash worth around Rs 49 lakh in their car. Congress’s Bermo MLA Kumar Jaimangal in his FIR in Ranchi’s Argora police station named the trio of destabilising Soren government along with BJP. Jaimangal had also named Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma of trying to orchestrate a coup in Jharkhand.
The case against the three MLAs is currently subjudice but they were granted bail by the Calcutta high court last week with a rider of not leaving Kolkata till the probe is over. Irfan walked out of jail last Saturday while the remaining two did so on Monday. All three had denied any wrongdoings, while talking to media.
A member of the party’s disciplinary committee talking to TOI on Tuesday, however, said that they must formally submit their replies at the earliest now. “Whatever their side of the story is, they must now officially write to us through whichever platform they prefer at the earliest so that the party leadership can proceed further on this issue. We are aware that they had spoken a lot in the media after coming out of jail, but they must do so through official forum now. Earlier, they were asked to reply within seven days when the suspension notice was served after their arrest but since they were in jail we are now asking them to do so,” said a member.
On Monday, speaking to TOI, Irfan said, “We are meeting Bengal CM soon to ask why were we framed in a false case? Also, we will meet the party leadership to explain our position.”