The Jharkhand government is facing intense scrutiny and accusations from opposition leader Babulal Marandi, who claims the state is actively fabricating new criminal acts to shield its involvement in deeper offenses. Marandi emphasized that in Jharkhand, the government and its supporting systems have developed a habit of manufacturing fresh crimes to mask existing ones. Recent Enforcement Directorate (ED) actions targeting the powerful coal mafia in Dhanbad have brought forth significant and unsettling findings. Most concerning is the alleged directive from ‘influential police officers,’ purportedly benefiting from illicit coal proceeds, to eliminate their ‘ground operatives’ permanently, thereby silencing potential witnesses. Reports indicate that individuals undergoing questioning by the ED are reportedly being targeted for murder to prevent the revelation of sensitive information. This strategy of orchestrated ‘evidence neutralization’ through extrajudicial means has occurred before in the state. Jharkhand has previously encountered a Director General of Police facing allegations of contract killings and unmatched corruption, with critics including members of the governing coalition. The ED must maintain a high level of alertness, as the prevailing climate favors the suppression of truth over its disclosure. When political power, institutional mechanisms, and criminal networks operate in unison, the undermining of justice is an almost inevitable outcome.
