Jharkhand: Row erupts after owner of famous Khalsa hotel of Dhanbad close business over alleged fear of extortion

A row has erupted in Jharkhand after a notable businessman from Dhanbad closed his business and returned to Punjab over an alleged demand for levy by a local gang.

Gurucharan Singh, owner of the famous New Khalsa hotel, closed his business and returned to his ancestral state of Punjab on May 10, months after bombs were hurled at his hotel over an alleged demand for levy by Prince Khan’s gang.

The alleged exodus of Singh has now stirred a political row in the State as the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) president of Jharkhand unit, Babu Lal Marandi, has linked the development to the failure of law and order under the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) led coalition government.

Taking to  X, the former Chief Minister of the state expressed his disappointment over Singh’s migration and alleged that the coalition government is backing gangsters like Prince Khan.

“Gurucaran Ji, owner of Dhanbad’s prestigious Khalsa hotel, who has been running his business in the State for 40 years, had to close his business and go to Punjab over fear of extortion. This is extremely disappointing and shameful news. JMM-Congress government has tarnished the image of Jharkhand by supporting a goon like Prince Khan. Will that help in attracting investments in Jharkhand. Will this help Jharkhand progress?” said Marandi

The BJP stalwart further while launching an attack on the former CM and Chairperson of JMM, Hemant Soren saying that Kalpana Soren Ji keep asking about the crime of his husband, Hemant Soren; this is what he has done. The BJP leader further accused Soren for forming an alliance with the gangster and criminals.

Marandi further assured that within 24 hours of the formation of the BJP government in Jharkhand, goons like Prince Khan will be begging for his lives in the State. Under the BJP regime, there will be exodus of the goons, not the businessmen who contribute in running the economy smoothly, added Marandi.

40 सालों से झारखंड में अपना व्यवसाय चला रहे धनबाद के प्रतिष्ठित खालसा होटल के मालिक गुरुचरण जी को रंगदारी के भय से अपना काम धंधा बंद कर पंजाब जाना पड़ा।

यह अत्यंत निराशाजनक और शर्मनाक खबर है। झामुमो-कांग्रेस की सरकार ने प्रिंस खान जैसे गुंडे को समर्थन देकर झारखंड की छवि पर… pic.twitter.com/vzNchSkFzG

— Babulal Marandi (@yourBabulal) May 11, 2024

It is to be noted that bombs were hurled at the New Khalsa hotel of Dhanbad, owned by Singh in September last year, it was then reported that the miscreants had also left a levy note demanding extortion money and monthly commission from Singh.

It has been speculated that those who hurled bombs at the hotel were associated with the gangs of Wasseypur fame Prince Khan gang. Singh who had already lost his two sons in a road accident in 2004 was reported to be terrorized by the act of bombing hence opted to close down his business that he was running for around four decades and return to his home State.

It is noteworthy, that the issues pertaining to law and order, illegal immigrants and corruption have been at the forefront of the ongoing campaign of the Lok Sabha polls in Jharkhand where elections are scheduled to be commence from May 13.