Jharkhand’s ruling party faces a severe indictment from opposition leader Babulal Marandi, who claims the government is manufacturing new crimes as a diversionary tactic to hide its complicity in ongoing illegal activities. Marandi, also the state BJP President, characterized this practice of creating false offenses to cover up real issues as a deliberate strategy by the government and its associated systems. The recent Enforcement Directorate (ED) operations targeting the deep-rooted coal mafia in Dhanbad have reportedly unearthed critical evidence. A disturbing intelligence leak suggests that influential police officers, allegedly funded by illegal coal revenues, have issued ‘kill orders’ for low-level mafia members. The purpose is allegedly to silence witnesses who could expose the larger conspiracy. There are credible claims that individuals currently under ED scrutiny are being targeted for elimination to prevent them from revealing sensitive information. Marandi reminded observers of previous instances in Jharkhand where ‘evidence extermination’ was disguised as police encounters. He cited the example of a former DGP widely accused of orchestrating paid killings, a figure even ruling party members denounced for unparalleled corruption. Marandi issued a strong advisory to the ED, urging heightened vigilance. He commented that in Jharkhand, power is consolidated by those who bury the truth, not those who expose it. He warned that the convergence of political power, administrative machinery, and criminal networks inevitably leads to the suppression of justice.
