Jharkhand minister denies connection with JT

Jharkhand Minister Yogendra Yadav today denied reports of his alleged connection with "Jharkhand Tiger group (JT)", a criminal outfit in Hazaribagh district, saying his opponents were out to defame him before the assembly elections.
"It's a conspiracy against me as I have objected to the allotment of coal blocks in Barkagoan/Keredari blocks of Hazaribagh district to two companies. I also demanded a CBI probe in this connection," Sao, a Congress leader, said.
Reacting to a newspaper report that one of the five arrested activists of JT allegedly confessed to the police about the minister's connection, Sao said his opponents were out to defame him before the assembly elections.

Hazaribagh Superintendent of Police Manoj Kaushik said he was "not in a position" to say anything about it.
"We are working on all pieces of information given by the five accused who were arrested yesterday. Today, we obtained remand from a court to further interrogate them and know more facts," the SP said.
Police, however, said the five belong to Barkagaon - the minister represents Barkagaon assembly constituency in the state assembly.
Meanwhile, BJP national General Secretary Bhupendra Yadav, who was in Ranchi today, demanded action against the minister.