Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Friday announced that a special investigation team (SIT) will probe the alleged transportation of illegally-mined minerals by railways from the state.

Speaking in the assembly, Soren said the SIT was set up to investigate how much mineral was transported from the state by the railways and the extent of the illegal transportation. "Trucks and tractors are blamed for illegal transportation of stones, sand and coal. But, it is rampant through trains also. And, the state government has no interference in this," he said. On December 14, Soren wrote to Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw seeking his attention towards the alleged involvement of railway officials in the transportation of illegally-mined minerals.

The chief minister also told him about the state government's decision of ordering a high-level inquiry into it. Alleging that the BJP was using central agencies to destabilise the government, Soren said, "Every morning and evening, they (BJP) kneel down before the central agencies for papers against the government so that they could carry on their politics." Soren was questioned by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for over nine-and-half-hours on November 17 in connection with its investigation into an alleged illegal mining case.

The chief minister alleged that it was the opposition in the state that conspired to scrap the recruitment policy.?"Our intention was clear behind the recruitment policy. SC, ST and OBC are already covered under reservation. This recruitment policy was brought to protect the interest of 40 per cent candidates of the general category of the state. But, our opposition conspired to scrap it," he claimed. Soren said the government would soon come up with an alternative plan to help youths of the state get jobs.?