Ranchi, November 9, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Jharkhand Leader of Opposition and former Chief Minister Babulal Marandi has returned his 13-year-old bulletproof vehicle to the state government, citing frequent breakdowns. He has sought a written response from Chief Minister Hemant Soren on the condition of security vehicles and the action taken on his earlier complaints.
In a letter to Soren, Marandi sought a response within seven days. He said the bulletproof Safari allotted to him frequently breaks down during travel, despite being required for tours across the state. He also asked the Home Department to formally take possession of the vehicle and issue an acknowledgement to his office.
Marandi said he had raised the issue in a letter dated March 21, 2026, but no effective action had followed. He pointed out that the Home Department purchased 17 bulletproof vehicles in December 2024, of which three were allotted to the Chief Minister and two to the Raj Bhavan, while the remaining 12 were kept in the headquarters reserve for VIP movement.
Despite the purchase, he said, former Chief Ministers continued to use vehicles that were 10 to 12 years old. He also flagged the condition of three Gypsies used by security personnel deployed for his protection, claiming they were dilapidated and had covered more than four lakh kilometres.
According to Marandi, his personal secretary had submitted a written complaint to the Home Secretary, while the DGP and IG (Provision) had also been informed several times. He alleged that officials had informally cited an instruction from “above” against replacing the vehicles and sought clarification on who had issued it and on what grounds.
Marandi demanded a technical review of vehicles provided to all former Chief Ministers under uniform standards, along with details of action taken on their complaints. He also referred to former Chief Minister Arjun Munda’s security vehicles, saying his office had sent six letters between July 2024 and June 2026 without receiving action. The issue gained urgency after a vehicle in Munda’s security convoy met with an accident near Chowka on November 6.
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